


Champions of a Fallen Age

by EbonySum



Series: The End of all Things [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2018-12-23 11:53:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 39
Words: 250,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11989269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EbonySum/pseuds/EbonySum
Summary: It had been one hundred years. One hundred years of praying that they would awaken before it was too late. One hundred years of hoping that they would remember who they were and what they had set out to accomplish so long ago. One hundred years of waiting for her friends to come back home to her. One hundred years was a terribly long time.





	1. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (12/26/18): So, I scrapped the original version of this chapter and rewrote it entirely because (let's be honest) it sucked. At this point, I have not gotten to the other chapters I plan to rewrite, so I apologize for the lesser quality of the following chapters. If this is your first time reading this, I promise it gets better.

The young man was afloat, facedown in the ebony waters that surrounded him on all sides. No matter where he looked, all he could see was an inky blackness. It frustrated him to no end that he could only see darkness. A feeling within told him that the darkness should have been full of something, yet there was nothing but silence.

Sometimes, images would appear just below him. Blue feathers, deep brown skin, silky blond hair, and a rocky figure that was larger than life. Images of running through a battlefield, broken and burning, or sitting on a grassy hill as a young woman tried to shove a small, green frog down his throat. He watched them passively whenever they appeared, wondering who the people he saw were and why the things he saw nearly crushed him with feelings of culpability. All he could do was watch helplessly as the scenes played out before him and, slowly dissipating as they took their memory with them. All he was left with was a bleak emptiness and a ravenous guilt that tried to swallow him whole.

He watched passively as the images came and went, feeling a peculiar sense of loss as each one dissipated. It was as though something was being peeled away each time, but he was unable to identify exactly what it was that he was losing. When he saw the girl with red and white scales he began actively reaching for her, but no matter how hard he strained she drifted away. He could only watch helplessly as her amber eyes gazed back at him as she began to disappear.

And then, there was nothing.

And so, he remained motionless, drifting in the endless silence that had become his reality. All he could do was consider questions that he had no way to answer.

Where was he?

Why was he there?

What was there to feel guilty for?

Why did he feel as though everything was missing?

And most importantly: who was he?

It didn't matter how hard he searched the recesses of his mind, there were no answers to be found. So, he drifted, and drifted, and drifted until he decided to stop thinking altogether. Thinking brought loneliness. Thinking brought emptiness. Thinking brought a nameless guilt.

"…"

He roused himself, listening for the sound again. He wasn't sure how long he had been left in silence, but he was beginning to think that there was nothing but the silence.

"… Open your eyes…" a young woman called quietly.

What did that mean?

"… Open your eyes…"

Hearing it a second time made it no clearer.

"Wake up, Link."

Link. As soon as he heard it, something inside registered it as a name, which he recognized as his own as a bright, golden light appeared before him. He reached for the light, feeling it draw closer to him until it overwhelmed him entirely.

A soft blue glow blinded him as his eyelids peeled back. As his eyes adjusted, he noticed that the glow emanated from etchings on a black ceiling. While there were a variety of shapes to study, they were of no interest to him. He sat up, looking down at the remains of a viscous liquid that had surrounded him. He watched the rest of it drain away from the depression he was sitting in, wondering for a brief moment if it had covered him entirely. He discarded the thought, deciding that it didn't matter.

What mattered was finding the source of the voice.

That was his primary thought as he climbed out of the pool and looked around, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to remind himself how his body worked. The blue glow on the black background made it nearly impossible for him to see what lay in his surroundings. Despite the limited visibility, Link could make out several other pools, much like the one he had been laying in. As he narrowed his eyes, further focusing his vision, he could just make out a silhouette climbing out of another pool.

Link walked towards the figure, hoping that he or she would know something. Whereas he had pale skin, blond bangs that hung low to frame a round face, and lean muscles, the stranger had navy blue feathers, an angular face with a sharp beak, large wings, and sharp talons instead of toes.

A single emerald eye focused on him, giving him a once over.

"And who are you?" he asked as he turned towards Link.

"Link."

"Right," he snorted before turning away to survey their surroundings.

Link frowned. While he didn't consider himself to be in a place to judge, he wasn't fond of the way that he had just been dismissed. Still, though, he wasn't about to walk away when whomever he was talking to may know something.

"Is there a reason you're still here?" he asked as he turned back to Link.

"You haven't told me your name."

Link tensed up slightly as his 'companion' bent down, jutting his face into Link's. "I don't like your tone." They glared at each other for a long moment before the other leaned back and folded his wings. "The name is Revali. I suggest you remember it."

Link nodded curtly. He wasn't sure how he could forget a name that was attached to such a large personality.

"Listen here," Revali growled as he drew uncomfortably close to Link, "if I catch even a modicum of disrespect –" the two were so absorbed in their spat that neither one noticed as the ground started shaking slightly "- so help me –"

"Hey, hey, can't we just get along," a deep voice rumbled.

Before Link could find the source, he felt a massive force on his back, sending his head flying into Revali's.

* * *

"Uh…" Daruk muttered as he watched the two crumple to the ground. "You guys okay?" he asked. When neither responded, he lifted a rocky hand, scratching at his gray beard. He hadn't exactly meant to knock them unconscious, but he supposed that it accomplished the result he had been working towards.

"Well, I suppose that's one way to resolve an argument," a feminine voice said silkily. He looked over to find a tall woman with dark brown skin and fiery red hair sauntering up to him. "Urbosa," she said.

"What now?"

"That's my name, Big Guy."

"Oh, uh… Daruk," he replied.

"Daruk? You sure about that?" she asked coyly.

"What do ya mean?" He wasn't sure what to make of Urbosa. She didn't appear threatening but something about her made him a little uncomfortable.

"You seem a little unsure."

"My name is Daruk," he repeated, making sure that his voice didn't waver.

"Daruk it is." Urbosa set a hand on her hip as she looked down at the two heaps on the ground. "So, Daruk, who are these two?"

"Don't know," he replied as he scratched the side of his head. As far as he could tell, he hadn't really had a stake in the argument as far as he knew, and so he had no real reason to get involved. He just didn't like the idea of them fighting, especially when they were all trapped in the same room. He had spent his first waking moments looking around blearily for an exit. It was during his search that he noticed the two starting their squabble.

"Tender soul?" she asked, that same playful smile creeping back on her face.

"Huh?"

"You tried to settle an argument between two other people," she explained.

"I –"

"Then again, you did crack their skulls together," Urbosa mused as she placed a thumb under her chin while hooking her finger around it. "Hmm… I wonder what that makes you."

"How about just Daruk," he responded. He had come to the conclusion that whatever she was talking about was not all that important. He was Daruk, and that was all that really counted. With that out of the way, he looked back down towards the two on the floor. "So, what do we do with them?"

"E-excuse me," a small voice called quietly.

"I was wondering when you were going to join us," Urbosa replied as she and Daruk looked towards the young girl that stood across from them. The first thing he noticed was that her arms, lower legs, and upper head were covered in bright red scales. Her torso, thighs, and lower face were covered in pure white scales. From her arms, legs, and head hung fins that ranged from blue to yellow. She clutched her clawed hands together nervously as her amber eyes flicked between Daruk and Urbosa.

"What happened?" she asked as she gestured towards them.

"Daruk here was overly excited about a team building exercise," Urbosa chuckled.

"It was an accident," Daruk sighed.

"May I take a look?"

"Please do." Daruk watched as she knelt and poked and prodded at the blue-feathered one. "So, what's your name?"

"Mipha." Her answer was given absently, as though she had all but forgotten they were there in the first place. He didn't really mind, especially if there was something she could do to help the two.

"Daruk," he replied.

"So, you can introduce yourself now?"

"And that's Urbosa."

"I am perfectly capable of telling her my own name."

"Don't mind her."

"She's not even listening."

"I don't mean to be rude, but do you take anything seriously?" he asked as he turned back to her. He wasn't annoyed, not yet anyway, he just wanted to know exactly who he was dealing with. He figured it was better to figure these things out now rather than waiting until later.

"No, that's your job."

He sighed, shaking his head at her antics. How she managed to find something to amuse herself with under the circumstances was a mystery to him. With his question answered, his attention shifted back to Mipha where he found a reason to be concerned. While he and Urbosa had been talking, Mipha had moved on to the other heap. The problem was, she was frozen in place above the young man. "Mipha?"

She remained unresponsive.

"Mipha?" he asked again.

Again,silence was her only response.

* * *

Mipha stared down at the face below her, convinced that she knew that face from somewhere. When she had looked down at the bird-like one, she hadn't been overly moved. Staring down at the blond framed face was a different story. She felt a small mental tug, but no matter how hard she tried to follow it, it continued to elude her. Not only that, but the harder she tried to latch onto the thought, the more her head began to ache; however, she continued her efforts. It wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she finally looked away.

"Are you all right?" Mipha's first impression of Urbosa was that she was someone who couldn't be bothered by anything, yet now, she knelt next to Mipha with an almost concerned look.

"I am well, thank you."

Urbosa's eyes continued searching her. Clearly, she was dissatisfied by the answer she had received.

"I think I may know him is all."

"So, you don't have any memories either?"

"No…" she replied sadly. A part of her found it strange that she could miss something that she couldn't even be sure existed, but she did it all the same.

Her eyes drifted back down to the young man.

"He is rather nice to look at, isn't he?"

Mipha felt her face heating up. "That wasn't wha- I was just worried about Link." She froze as the words left her mouth. Somehow, she had inadvertently remembered his name.

"Link?"

"That is his name," she murmured thoughtfully. Though the name had clicked into place, as though it was something she had always known, she knew nothing else about him. She did feel some hope, though. If she could recall his name, then maybe other things would follow.

"That's one mystery solved," Urbosa muttered quietly. "How are they?"

Mipha pursed her lips as she considered how best to answer. "He should be fine," she replied quietly as she gestured to their still nameless companion. "He may have a concussion, but I will not know until he wakes up."

"And Link?"

Mipha didn't respond as she looked back down at him. As she had poked at his mottled back, she had felt numerous fractures, along both his spine and his shoulders. What really concerned her though, was what felt like small shards of bone that had splintered off from their larger counterparts. It would take months for it to heal on its own, and that was if she was wrong about the shards. More likely, he would never heal entirely and would have to live out the rest of his days with limited movement at best.

Thankfully, his head was in much better shape. All she could feel was the bruise that was forming where their heads had collided.

"Is everything all right?" Daruk asked.

"You know, Big Guy, there's something I've been wondering." Urbosa stood back up as she addressed Daruk.

"Yeah?"

"Should Mipha and I be worried?"

"About what?"

"Well, you seem to have a lot of pent up aggression. Should we be worried that you'll take some of it out on us?"

"You're not gonna let that go, are you?"

"Never," Urbosa replied.

Mipha let out a relieved sigh as she turned back to Link. It seemed that Urbosa had somehow sensed her reluctance and taken it upon herself to distract Daruk for the time being. She knew she would have to explain the situation to them at some point, but she didn't mind putting it off in lieu of determining a way to move them safely.

She listened absently as Daruk and Urbosa continued their banter, frowning as she reached towards the bruising on Link's face again. Rather than prodding his injury, she simply set her palm on it. She wished there was something more she could do, but the small gesture was the only form of comfort she knew how to provide. As she stared at him, she felt a warmth course through her as her hand began to glimmer. She froze, watching her hand glow before quickly retracting it. She leaned forward, checking on Link's injury again. She was worried that she had hurt him more, but, much to her surprise, the bruising appeared to have gone down. She carefully replaced her hand on his head and watched as the blue glow returned.

"What are you doing?" Daruk asked.

"I… don't know." She pulled her hand away, seeing that the bruise was gone entirely. She felt the spot again, finding no trace of any damage. It was as though nothing had ever happened.

"Do you suppose you can do it again?" Urbosa asked.

"I think so," Mipha replied uncertainly. She had no idea how she had done it, or what her limits were, but she would try again if it meant that the two on the floor would be okay.

"Huh." Daruk stroked his beard as Mipha turned Link over and began tending to his back.

"Is that all you have to say about that?"

"I get the feeling there is a lot of things going on that I don't understand," Daruk replied.

Mipha giggled lightly as she moved her palm over the broken bones beneath Link's skin. Though she didn't take part, she enjoyed Daruk and Urbosa's conversation. Their bickering was absolutely pointless and consisted more of Urbosa making subtle jabs at Daruk. She was certain that there were several that she missed, but it was humorous all the same.

When Mipha had finished tending to Link's injuries, she rolled him back over so that he was lying face up. Then she moved on to the heap of blue feathers. Her eyes kept flicking back to Link as she set to work. For some reason, she felt the need to keep an eye on the young man. It turned out to be the right decision, as, within a couple of minutes of leaving his side, Link began moving. Mipha rushed back to his side and set a hand on his chest. Link's bright blue eyes opened slowly, his eyes traveling down to the red clawed hand on his chest. He studied it for a moment before traveling up her arm and finally meeting her gaze.

His head tilted as he stared at her for a long moment. "Mipha?" he asked just as she opened her mouth.

She felt a surge of adrenaline spike through her as her name left his lips. She had hoped that they did somehow know each other. Maybe he really could fill in the blanks. "You know me?" She couldn't quite keep the hope out of her voice.

His gaze shifted to the ceiling above them both for a few seconds. "I don't remember."

"I see. I am sorry to hear that." She kept the disappointment out of her voice. While she had indeed hoped that Link would be able to fill in some of the blanks, she was relieved that he was all right.

"How are you, Little Guy?" Daruk asked, mildly abashed.

"All right," Link replied.

"I'm really sorry about that."

Link shrugged, not appearing the least bit bothered by what Daruk had done. "How's Revali?" he asked.

"Revali?"

Link turned his head, nodding towards the blue-feathered mound as best he could.

"Oh. Your friend should be all right."

An odd expression crossed his face, but he said nothing else.

"I need to finish tending to him," Mipha said as she heard Revali groan.

Link nodded.

Mipha left him there, forgetting her concerns about him getting up. She was quickly reminded though as Link immediately tried to get to his feet. "Please stay down."

"I'm fine," Link muttered as he stood up straight.

Mipha sighed disapprovingly as she knelt back down next to Revali. She had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time that he refused to properly take care of himself. All she could do was turn her attention back to Revali.

* * *

Revali looked around, noticing the small groups that were beginning to form around him.

He had awoken to a fish-looking girl hovering over him and, from what he could tell, she had absolutely no respect for personal space. To make matters worse, she wouldn't back off until she was absolutely certain that he wasn't going to keel over. To only compound his irritation further, she had patronized him by standing close by, ready to rush to his side at the slightest sign of unsteadiness.

After that, they had all taken part in a rather pointless conversation in which absolutely nothing was accomplished. The only thing he learned was that everyone else was pathetically sensitive. He had the good sense to point out the flaws in their plans when it came to escaping wherever they were; however, Urbosa hadn't taken kindly to that. She had taken her oh-so-valuable time to lecture him about how his input was not welcome. It was especially irritating because he had plenty of ideas. Admittedly, most of those ideas revolved around pointing out the flaws he hadn't had the chance to.

After that little waste of time, they had opted to split up. Mipha followed Link as he took one side of the room while Daruk and Urbosa walked in the opposite direction, leaving Revali by himself. He eyed the two groups, trying to decide if he should join one. He didn't care for Urbosa's lecturing, didn't care for Daruk seeing as he had knocked him into Link, was annoyed by Mipha's hovering, and generally abhorred Link's contemptuous attitude. It didn't take him long to decide he was better off exploring by himself.

Aside from the pools they had been asleep in, there wasn't much else to explore in the round room. The only other thing of note to be found were the strange, glowing symbols on the wall. Not entirely sure what he should be doing, he eyed Daruk and Urbosa, finding that they had chosen a spot along the wall and were tracing the symbols while murmuring to each other. He assumed they were looking for some pattern to help them translate whatever was written there. Figuring there were no better options, he decided to do the same.

He analyzed the writing in front of him from every possible angle, but no matter what position his head took, there was nothing he could pull from them. Eventually, he stepped back with a frustrated growl. It was utterly pointless for him to continue, but the idea of giving up didn't sit well with him either.

"Find something little guy?"

Revali whirled around and narrowed his eyes as he saw Link holding something up. He stomped over, feeling like an idiot for having spent so long staring at a wall. When he finally arrived, he saw what the big deal was. It appeared to be a back slab with an eye, a single teardrop, and three triangles forming eyebrows on one side, and on the other was a simple black surface.

"That is a Sheikah Slate. It will help you on your journey."

Revali looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. It was the same one that had awakened him. Not finding anyone else, he turned back, just as a mechanism sounded. A section of the wall slid aside, revealing a path forward.

"You are our light… the light that must shine on Hyrule once more."

* * *

She smiled as she watched her friends clothe themselves and leave the Shrine of Resurrection. It didn't matter that she was surrounded by Malice, or that the being she held back was the incarnation of hatred itself. No, the only thing that mattered was that her friends had finally arisen from their long slumber.

It had been one hundred years. One hundred long years, but they had finally awakened. It was only the first step in their long journey for they had to regain their strength and their memories, but they were awake. It wouldn't be long before they remembered their duty and came to defeat the Calamity.

All she had to was hold out a little longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Unfortunately, for me, I don't own any of this. That's probably a good thing seeing as I would likely ruin the series. Reviews are appreciated, but please, make them constructive, rather than "I don't like this idea," or "I want this ship." That really doesn't help me improve.


	2. An Apple, a Voice, and a Strange Old Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Revised on 11/4/2018 (that's a nice way of saying that I rewrote the thing cause it sucked).

"I beg your pardon!"

After they had discovered the Sheikah Slate, the group had entered another chamber. Within it, they found several chests, each containing clothes for one of them, save for Mipha, though she wasn't particularly bothered by that particular fact. Once they were clothed in the rather worn and ill-fitting garments, they had followed yet another doorway. Instead of finding another poorly lit room, they discovered that the hallway abruptly ended as though it were swallowed by the stone of the cave that dominated it. At the end of it, they could make out a beautiful, golden glow.

The first breath of fresh air had been surprisingly sweet as they exited the cave. Urbosa had inhaled deeply, relishing the scent of the grass and dirt that surrounded them. They had taken a moment to find their bearing as best they could. There may have been some confusion as to where they should be heading next; however, the landscape made the decision for them. In front of them was drop off that wrapped around to their left. Behind them was an unscalable rock wall. That only left the path to their right.

Urbosa was grateful for the easy decision. She and the others had been awake a few short hours, and Revali was already proving to be almost unbearably argumentative.

They made their way downhill, with Link leading the way when they found a hooded old man sitting next to a fire. Despite the pile of apple cores next to him, his full, white beard was unmarred by the fruit. He hadn't made any effort to acknowledge them until Link had marched up to him, picked up the nearest uneaten apple, and took a large bite.

The action left them with an indignant stranger, a mildly abashed Link, and highly amused Urbosa.

Link, for his part, had stiffened as soon as their unsuspecting host had snapped at him. He stood as though petrified, his hand still holding the apple up to his mouth, which had frozen mid-bite.

Silence dominated both parties for an uncomfortably long time until the old man started chuckling, which soon turned into unbridled laughter. "You must forgive me," he wheezed as he finally regained control of his breathing. "I could not resist the opportunity to pull your leg a bit." After his mirth had subsided, he motioned to the ground before them. "Please. Sit and help yourselves. I have made too much for myself," he said, gesturing towards the pile of apples.

They all exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to settle around the fire. Link chose the spot closest to the pile of baked apples and started doling them out. Mipha, who sat next to him, was the first to get hers, followed by Urbosa, and finally Revali. Daruk had politely refrained from taking one.

"Had I the time, I would have found something suitable for a Goron," the stranger replied apologetically.

"Don't worry about... by the way, what's a Goron?"

"Why, you are one," the old man replied with a peculiar look on his face. "Do you truly not know who you are?"

Daruk shook his head.

"I see." The stranger appeared conflicted. "The Gorons are people of living stone who have made their homes on the inhospitable heights of Death Mountain." He eyed them all. "Do any of you know who you are?"

Urbosa had been expecting the silence and the frown when they all shook their heads. She wasn't surprised by the sadness that was reflected in his eyes. What caught her off guard was the lack of shock that he was speaking to five people with little to no knowledge of themselves. He sat for a long moment, having a debate that only he was privy to.

"You, my friend," he said as he turned to Revali, "are a Rito."

"We aren't friends."

"You are a Rito all the same. The bird folk live in the northernmost reaches of the Tabantha region, just south of the Hebra Mountains. You, good lady, are a Gerudo," he continued as he nodded to Urbosa. "The women of your tribe take their name from the harsh desert they call home. You, young lady," he said, giving his attention to Mipha," are a Zora. Your people thrive on the fresh water of the Domain you call your own. And finally, you are a Hylian. We are the most plentiful of the races of Hyrule," he finished as he looked at Link.

Nobody said a word. Urbosa could tell that her companions were as lost in thought as she. While it wasn't much, there was some comfort in discovering another piece of her lost identity. It made her current situation a little less unnerving.

She asked for another apple as she contemplated everything she had learned so far. As Link handed it over, she noticed just how large the pile was. "That seems like quite a lot of apples to accidentally prepare," she noted before taking another bite. "It's almost like you were expecting us."

"This may be hard to believe," the old man whispered as he leaned in conspiratorially, "but I used to have quite the appetite." He leaned back, chuckling as he patted his large gut. "I don't eat as much as I used to, but old habits die hard."

"I see."

They continued eating for a time making small, meaningless chatter. When they had finished, their host stretched and stood, inviting them all to do the same. "I cannot say that I understand your situation, but I cannot help but feel that you may be searching for answers. Are you searching?"

"We are," Daruk confirmed.

"Then I would recommend you head for the Temple of Time," he replied as he gestured towards a massive structure that wasn't far away. "It was once the site of many religious functions and rituals. I doubt it will have all the answers, but you may learn a thing or two about yourselves there."

"Alright!" Daruk replied enthusiastically, "let's get a move on!"

As the group readied themselves, the stranger leaned down next to Link. "I know another lover of food when I see one. Feel free to take as many as you would like," he murmured as he pointed to the apples.

Link nodded before stooping over and grabbing a few extra. He nodded his thanks before rejoining everyone else.

Urbosa followed behind Daruk as he led them towards the giant cathedral the old man had pointed out. Along the way, they found an ax, which Link picked up. Urbosa watched, mildly entertained as the Hylian struggled to juggle the tool and his snacks even as they continued toward the temple.

"Whoa." Daruk whistled as they approached the temple. "This place must have really been somethin' in its heyday."

"I would imagine the ceremonies that old coot mentioned were grand indeed," Revali muttered with no small amount of awe.

Even its dilapidated state, the cathedral still held a certain majesty and wonder. Even with its shattered windows, caved in roof, tattered grounds, and broken masonry the building still commanded a reverence that wasn't lost on the members of the party. The paved roads were broken and cracked as grass and various mosses grew along the ancient stone.

It was a thing of beauty, but there were other sites that caught Urbosa's attention. Scattered around the Temple's grounds were the remains of large spider-like machines. Their cone-shaped bodies were metallic and rusted over, their long arms were all stretched towards the Temple of Time.

"Are these… things responsible for the state of the Temple?" For some reason, the sight of the machines was enough to unsettle her. Their mechanical bodies made her skin crawl, and that was when they weren't moving. She didn't even want to think about the possibility of them in an active state.

"Are you actually scared of a rusted hunk of metal?" Revali asked condescendingly as he passed her. She noticed that despite his tone, he had eyed it as he passed by as though expecting it would attack him at the first opportunity.

"And what if we find more that aren't just rusted hunks of metal?"

"Right... because –"

If the Rito's abrupt pause hadn't been enough of a warning, his wide eyes and slack expression was. Instinct took over, driving her to dive for the ground as she tucked her head under her shoulder. She bit back a yelp as she felt collision on her other shoulder followed by sharp pain. Though it staggered her, it wasn't enough to unbalance her completely as she came out of her roll and spun around, coming face to face with the ugliest thing she had seen since waking up.

A misshapen, pig-like face, knobby arms that were disproportionately long and a disgusting red hide assaulted her. The creature glared her with beady eyes as it drew back to take another swing with its wooden club.

The Gerudo dashed forward, injured shoulder twinging as she grabbed its weapon before the attack could land. The monster grunted as they grappled with each other, both trying to gain the upper hand. Thinking quickly, Urbosa drove her uninjured shoulder into the creature and stepped back as it recoiled, taking the club with her. Not even giving it a chance to recover, she lunged forward and swung the weapon, cracking it against the creature's skull. It crumpled to the ground and remained motionless.

She turned back to Revali, who was calling for Mipha. "Hey Feathers, think you can manage an actual warning next time?" she panted after he had gotten the others' attention.

Revali's only response was to glare at her as the other three arrived.

* * *

"That was pretty impressive, Little Guy," Daruk muttered as he and Link watched Mipha heal Urbosa's shoulder.

"Thanks," Link replied with a small smile. "What's that shield of yours?"

"I don't know," the Goron replied as he scratched at his beard, mulling over the events of the last few minutes.

He, Link, and Mipha had become separated from the other two as they had wandered along the temple grounds. During that time, they too had been ambushed, and, when the scuffle had started, Daruk had thrown himself between Mipha and an attacker. That in and of itself was nothing that he thought necessary to devote thought to. In his mind, that was what a person was supposed to do when his friends were in trouble. He hadn't known either Link or Mipha long, but he had already taken a liking to them.

Link was quiet for the most part. He would talk here and there, and chuckle whenever he found one of Urbosa's quips funny, but otherwise, he was calm and silent. He wasn't anywhere near as big as Daruk, but he the way he carried himself spoke of strength, which appealed to the Goron.

Mipha was quiet as well, though she had a lot more to say than Link did. Whereas Urbosa and Daruk didn't mind having a group discussion, the Zora preferred talking one on one. From what he had seen so far, she was compassionate and willing to help whenever she was needed. He also appreciated that she hadn't judged him when he had accidentally hurt Link and Revali.

No, putting himself in harm's way for either of them wasn't the puzzle he was trying to solve. Instead, it was the orange barrier that had sprung from nothingness and encased him as he held his arms out. The geometric sphere had absorbed the blow and sent the monster flying back. Stranger still, he had felt a little tired afterward, but not anywhere near enough to prevent him from catching the monster's next blow and smashing it into the ground.

During that time, Link had taken the ax he had picked up earlier and cut through another creature, allowing Mipha to pick up the wooden spear it had been using. The Hylian had been attacked by another creature, this one protecting itself with a shield. Mipha had used her newfound weapon to fend off another one of the monsters as Link delivered a massive blow, shattering his opponent's shield. The Hylian had let the momentum from the blow carry him, spinning him around to strike again in quick succession.

Despite the fact that Mipha was able to do little more than hold her monster back, she had still managed to impress Daruk. She had looked to be dancing as she deflected blows while simultaneously returning with her own. Considering her weapon could only be used to whack the monster at best, he was impressed by her ability to hold it back until Link could attend to it himself.

"Thanks," Urbosa said as Mipha stepped back, allowing her to stand up and roll her shoulders.

"You are welcome," Mipha replied graciously. "Just be careful to not overexert yourself."

"I'll be fine."

Daruk scratched his head as he looked over the small group. When they had started towards the Temple, he hadn't imagined that they would be attacked by anything. They would have to travel more carefully from here on out. Gathering a few weapons likely wouldn't hurt either.

" _Daruk…"_ a voice called _"…head for the place marked on the map in the Sheikah Slate."_

"Hmm…" Daruk hummed. He wasn't entirely sure that following a bodiless voice was the best idea, but they had nothing else to go off of currently. He shoved the thought aside, deciding that it wasn't the time to be indecisive. He turned to Link, who had removed the Slate from its place on his hip and was eyeing its face. "Where to, Little Guy?"

Link pointed to a location somewhere Northeast of them.

"Hey, Feathers."

"My name is Revali!" the Rito snapped as he whirled on Urbosa.

"That's what I said," the Gerudo replied. "Do you think you can do some scouting for us?"

Revali glared at her for a second before turning around and spreading his wings. "Fine. I suppose somebody has to pick up the slack."

Urbosa opened her mouth to respond but was quickly cut off by Daruk. "Thanks! We'll follow as close behind as we can."

Revali rolled his eyes before propelling himself into the sky with his wings.

"Can you stop poking at his ego?" he muttered after he was sure Revali was out of earshot.

"You know you can't keep appeasing him, right?" Urbosa asked as they started following after him. "It's only going to make it worse."

"I'm just trying to keep us together right now."

"I understand," the Gerudo replied as she rubbed her temple, "but we can't start using that as an excuse for that kind of behavior." She was silent for a long moment before she sighed. "I'll be a bit easier on him."

"I know," he sighed. The predicament that Revali presented him with was nearly impossible for him to figure out at this point. The Rito had proven to be extraordinarily sensitive and prone to lash out at the slightest provocation. To make matters worse, he grew more aggressive if any of them called him out on his behavior. He wanted to keep everyone together, but he didn't like the idea of tolerating Revali's vitriol.

They hadn't been walking for long when the Rito dove down and landed just in front of them.

"Did you find whatever it is we're looking for?" Daruk asked, surprised to see him back so soon.

"No," the Rito sniffed, "we have a problem."

* * *

Revali circled above the small group of monsters, biding his time as Link crept towards them quietly.

The Rito was certain that he could handle the three himself, but Daruk had insisted that he and Link work together. He could find no discernable reason that the Goron would force them to cooperate when it was entirely unnecessary. In fact, he was certain that working with the Hylian was only going to make things worse between them. He saw limited potential in Link and wasn't interested in pulling him out of dangerous situations. While he wasn't terribly fond of any of the people he had woken up with, Link was his least favorite.

The Hylian possessed an almost impossible amount of arrogance. He had let finding the Slate get to his head and had elected himself the group leader. As far as Revali was concerned, he was the least qualified. He had barely spoken ten words and yet he had decided that he was capable of calling the shots. To make matters worse, Mipha followed him around as a duckling would its mother. He almost pitied the Zora girl as she clearly didn't have a mind of her own.

Urbosa was another problem entirely. He didn't like her attempts to be witty, and he seriously disliked the way she stared down her nose at him. If the Gerudo were to get rid of those qualities she may be respectable. She had something akin to intelligence, and she had displayed impressive combat prowess. All she needed was a little humility and self-control and maybe they could get along.

He supposed the one he minded least was Daruk. Initially, he had as much distaste for the Goron as he did Link, however, he was slowly warming up to Daruk. He wasn't exactly the brightest of the bunch, yet he seemed to be the most rational of them all. He also made an effort to include Revali in their discussions, which was something the Rito appreciated greatly. Urbosa had already formed the habit of dismissing him, which wasn't as bad as Link, who flat out ignored him. The Goron was the only one who had any respect for him. He wouldn't admit it, but it was something he appreciated greatly.

Link had finally gotten into position without alerting their targets.

The plan Daruk had set out for them was simple. Revali was supposed to fly down and cause a distraction, which would allow Link to dispose of them quickly and quietly. It was simple, straightforward, and not exactly something that would test their abilities.

Surely, he could do better.

Revali dove down, forming his own plan as he descended on the monsters. They noticed him as he drew close, but not before he had gotten close enough to rip the bow out of the grip of the closest monster. The weapon felt familiar in his feathered hands, almost like it was an old friend. Reflexively, he reached over the monster's shoulder and grabbed a handful of arrows. Using his wings, he pushed back and nocked an arrow, putting it between the creature's eyes. The action felt as natural as breathing and, in quick succession, he put arrows through the remaining monsters before Link reached them.

"Oh, I must apologize," Revali said with mock sincerity. "I was worried that they would be too much for you to handle."

To his immense irritation, Link didn't acknowledge that anything had happened. Instead, he knelt down next to one of the monsters and looked over the weapons.

"I'm certain that if you apply yourself, you might eventually bring something to the group." Again, Link refused to acknowledge that he had said anything. He didn't let this bother him too much as the other three were making their way over. "As you can see, they have been dealt with, rather handily if I do say so myself."

"I saw," Daruk replied gruffly.

Revali narrowed his eyes as the Goron stroked his beard.

"Look, I know you feel like you've got something to prove Revali, but this isn't a competition. We need to stick together and have each other's' backs, ya know? Otherwise, we'll get hurt, or worse."

"What's your point?" the Rito asked stiffly.

"You don't have to like us, but you gotta learn to work with us," Daruk replied firmly, setting a heavy hand on Revali's back.

If it had come from anyone else, he would have snapped. Coming from Daruk, he decided it was better to take the criticism quietly, even if he wasn't the actual problem. He folded his wings bitterly and turned away, his beak tightening as he held his frustrations in check.

"As for you, Little Guy, you need to make sure that you're doing your best to be a team player too, alright. Make sure that you're being someone that Revali can actually trust."

The Rito felt some of the tension leave his face. He was still displeased that he had gotten a talking to, however brief it had been, but at least someone else was recognizing that Link wasn't a saint. His mood did lighten somewhat as he noticed that Link appeared to be taking Daruk's words into consideration. Maybe the Hylian wasn't completely a lost cause.

"Do we understand each other?" Daruk asked.

"Yep," Link replied.

The Goron turned his attention to Revali, making his intention to wait for an answer clear as he stared at the Rito impassively. "Fine."

"Good. Now let's get a move on."

Revali didn't bother taking to the skies again as they restarted their journey. He had been able to see quite a distance in nearly every direction and had taken note of various encampments. Thankfully, the one they had just attacked was the only one that had been nearby, so he figured they would be safe for a while.

While Link was technically leading the way, Revali wasn't exactly following. He kept pace with the Hylian but had put a sizeable distance between them. Just because Link was supposed to be guiding them didn't mean he had to accept that guidance completely.

The Hylian stopped when they reached a large pile of rocks. Aside from a small opening and what appeared to be the top of a spire coming out of the top, there was nothing else

"We're here," he said.

"You can't be serious," Revali replied.

Link simply nodded.

"Show me." The Hylian held the Slate up and flipped it around so that Revali could see its face. There was nothing, except for a small yellow dot in the center. "Is this what you call a map?"

He shook his head. "It started at the edge…"

"And got closer to the center." He finished. He sighed as Link nodded yet again. "Well, at least you can do something right." He supposed that, under the circumstances, nobody could have done better.

"Maybe we should explore before deciding there is nothing there," Urbosa said as she joined them.

"Feel free to waste your time if you want to," he responded as he waved her off.

"Need I remind you that we woke up in a room that happened to be located in a cave?"

"That doesn't mean –"

"There's a pedestal," Link interrupted, pointing down into the entrance.

Revali and Urbosa exchanged a look before passing the Hylian and entering the small cave. There was indeed a pedestal, one that was nearly identical to the one that Link had pulled the Slate from.

"You know what to do," Urbosa said as Link followed them in, prompting him to set the Slate in the pedestal. Its face lit up as words started appearing on it.

"Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks," Link read.

"Falling rocks?" Mipha asked quietly.

"Oh, relax," Revali replied. "Even Daruk can tell he's –" the Rito was cut off as the stone floor beneath them rumbled. His eyes narrowed as they shifted to Link. "You were joking right?"

The Hylian didn't have time to answer as the ground rushed up to meet them and the cave exploded outwards.

* * *

Link groaned as their ascension ground to a halt. He lay for a second, trying to catch his breath before grabbing on to the pedestal and using it to haul himself back to his feet. He watched as words once again appeared on the Slate's face. "Distilling local information… Regional map extracted."

"Is everyone alright?" Daruk called as he got up shakily.

Revali and Urbosa were on their feet, grimacing as they looked around. Mipha was sitting on the ground, massaging the place where her neck and tailfin connected. Despite their pained expressions, they all affirmed that they were okay.

"Good. What do you have there, Little Guy?"

Link eyed the map one last time before he flipped it around so Daruk could see. He was a bit disappointed in how small the map was. Most of it was still blank, save for a small space that the pedestal had apparently filled in.

He didn't have long to ponder the state of the map. Off in the distance, he noticed a large castle with large pillars that leaned down towards it as though they were going to collapse on top of it. Within their confines, dark clouds spiraled as a dark mass took shape. A boar's head formed and flew in an agitated circle around the castle as a familiar, bodiless voice spoke. _"Try to remember… You have been asleep for the past one hundred years. During that time, Ganon has been steadily regaining his power. If he breaks free then this world will face destruction, the likes of which it has never known. Please, you must hurry."_ As her words faded, a bright light shone from the heart of the castle, encompassing the structure and taking the boar with it.

No one said a word, allowing Link to mull over what had just been said to him. He couldn't deny that the plea was largely lost on him. He had no idea who Ganon was, or if anything that was just said was even remotely true. If it was, he couldn't say the idea of untold destruction was something he understood either. Trying to understand what the phrase meant, or even how something could be so powerful was beyond him. Regardless, he couldn't deny that something about the speaker called to him, steeling a resolve he didn't even know he had.

"You heard her." Link focused his attention on Daruk who had turned to face all of them. "Our first order of business is getting off this tower."

"That's easy enough," Revali replied smugly as he walked towards the edge of the tower. "Oh, I forgot… none of you have wings. I suppose that means you'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. Do try and hurry it up. We are on a tight schedule after all." With that Revali dove off the side of the tower.

Link walked to the edge, looking over to watch Revali glide leisurely down to the ground that lay several hundred feet below them.

"I don't know why I let that overgrown cockatiel surprise me anymore," Urbosa muttered as she joined Link at the edge. "Well, we're not climbing down this way."

The Gerudo had a point. The edge of the tower sloped down, and to make matters worse, there was were no handholds.

"There is a way over here." Link turned to Mipha, who was kneeling by a hole in the platform they stood on. The hole led down to the tower side, which was covered in a mesh-like structure. If Link were worried about his ability to scale the tower, they were waylaid by the outcroppings that were spread across the tower's heights.

"I don't think I'm gonna make that." Daruk's eyes were torn between the mesh and his fingers. Link noticed the problem. Even the smallest of the Goron's fingers and toes were too large to fit into handholds. He would have no way to grip the tower side if he tried to climb down. "Hmm… I got it!" he exclaimed as he clapped his hands together.

"And what's that?" Urbosa asked.

"I'll just fall."

"You'll fall?"

"Yep. I think that barrier I used earlier will help."

"I won't ask." Urbosa sighed as the Goron grinned. "At least you informed us of your plan."

Link watched with interest as Daruk walked towards the edge of the platform and curled up as the orange barrier formed around him. With a roar, the Goron rolled off the edge. A few seconds later, there was an enormous crash followed by a shrill squawk.

"Oh dear. It would seem that Feathers doesn't handle surprises particularly well."

Link shivered as he noticed the predatory light in Urbosa's eyes. He wasn't particularly fond of Revali, but he pitied the Rito at that moment. Daruk had already found out that she had a particularly long memory when it came to mistakes.

"Well, we should get started," the Gerudo decided. "Mipha, care to go first?"

"U-um, yes." Link couldn't blame the Zora for sounding nervous. He wasn't her, yet he was under the impression that climbing was not her strong suit. He couldn't see how she would be able to maintain a steady grip on the tower's side with her webbed fingers and toes, seeing as it would focus her weight closer to the tips of her appendages. It could damage her wrists if she didn't maintain control during the entire climb.

Mipha nervously lowered herself over the edge, using a couple of openings as footholds. She moved her hands down, holding on to the mesh with a vice-like grip. As she removed one of her feet from its place, her fingers began to slip, causing her to lose balance.

Link Lunged towards her, catching her wrist before she could fall. Beside him, Urbosa did the same. "Yep," she grunted as they hauled her up, "I figured that would happen."

"You two should go on. I will find some other way down," Mipha said, her tone still conveying the sense of panic that must have still been coursing through her.

"I have an idea." Rather than explaining himself, Link crouched down in front of Mipha. "Climb aboard," he said, flashing her a brief smile.

"Link… you cannot mean to carry me all the way down."

"What other choice do we have?" Urbosa asked as she rubbed her temple.

With no further arguments, Mipha climbed on to Link's back and held on tightly as he lowered himself down.

"Idiot men with something to prove."

Mipha giggled at Urbosa's words, which made Link smile. The fact that she was feeling better despite her previous concern was a relief to him. It warmed his heart when he knew his companions were well. The same could even be said for Revali, even with the Rito's bad attitude.

As the monotonous chore ahead of him droned on, his mind began to wonder. As it did so, he couldn't help but focus on his conversation with Daruk earlier. The Goron had told him to make sure that he was being someone that Revali could trust. While he didn't believe that he had done anything wrong, he didn't blame Daruk for giving him a lecture. The Goron was just trying to keep everyone together, and that was a strenuous enough task as it was. He saw no sense in making the Goron's job any harder.

The more he thought about, the more he was willing to concede that Daruk may have had a point. So far, his method of dealing with Revali's antics was to ignore the Rito entirely, however, that didn't appear to be making the problem any better. Instead, Revali had compensated by becoming even more aggressive. He would have to find another way to respond to the Rito without losing his composure.

"Link, I know you wish to reach the bottom quickly, but you need to rest."

The Hylian came back to reality, finally noticing how shallow his breathing was and just how much his arms shook. He berated himself silently as he gauged towards the nearest outcropping. He had allowed himself to focus on something other than the task at hand and, as a result, he had put both Mipha and himself at risk.

When they reached the platform, Link crouched down and let Mipha down. He allowed the Zora to heal him despite his initial misgivings. He didn't like the idea of using her abilities to alleviate just any discomfort as that was one small step away from turning her into an object, but he couldn't deny that there were times that he would need it. If he were to get them both down the tower safely, then he would have to accept it then.

As he sat, letting her heal him, he analyzed their progress. He was disappointed to see that he had only gotten them about halfway down. He couldn't help but think that he should have been stronger than that.

"Impressive," Urbosa commented as she joined them. "I don't suppose you could carry me as well."

Link returned her grin with an uncertain one of his own. He couldn't be sure of how serious she was about the matter.

After the trio's brief rest, Link let Mipha climb back up on his back and in no time at all, he was clinging to the tower's side with a Zora plastered to his back. Unlike the last time, he focused more on getting both himself and Mipha to the ground.

"Well, it's about time."

Link was about to reply when Daruk spoke up. "Give them a break, Revali. They had to get down the old-fashioned way." The Goron sounded utterly exhausted.

He tuned out the rest of the discussion as he set Mipha down, waving her off as she tried to heal him. A part of him was disappointed in himself and his current strength and stamina. It argued that he should have been able to handle Mipha's weight and climb like that with ease. Oddly enough, it made him feel guilty that he wasn't in peak physical condition. Link decided then and there that he was going to work at building his power and endurance. Unfortunately for Mipha, that meant that he would have to be more selective when it came to her healing.

"You all right, Big Guy?"

"That took more out of me than I thought it would."

"Perhaps this will help." Link looked around, finding the stranger from earlier walking towards them while carrying a large stone. The Hylian went to meet him, grabbing on to the other half of the stone. As he helped the man carry the stone towards Daruk, he couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to get so close without any of them noticing.

"Here you are, Daruk. This should help you feel better," the old man said as he and Link set the stone before the Goron.

"A rock is supposed to help?" Revali asked skeptically.

"Supposedly, their bodies draw the minerals they need from the stones they consume. Unfortunately, that is the extent of my knowledge."

Daruk picked up the stone as a look of disgust passed on his face. He bit into the rock, chewing for a moment before grinning. "It's great!" With that, the Goron ate the rest of the stone with gusto, leaving the stranger to watch amusedly.

"How are you feeling?" the old man asked as Daruk shoved the last bit into his mouth.

"Good as new!"

"Excellent! Now, come. There is something I wish to show you."

* * *

Mipha followed the others, continually eyeing Link and Daruk as the stranger guided them up a small hill. Both the Hylian and the Goron had used a great deal of energy within the last few hours and, even though they appeared to be holding up well, she worried that they were close to overexerting themselves. She was worried that they would push themselves too far seeing as they had a disregard for their own safety. What made it especially worrisome was the fact that neither one was willing to acknowledge just how potentially self-destructive their actions could be.

As they reached the top of the hill, the old man stopped and gestured towards the castle they had seen earlier. "That is Hyrule Castle. At one time, it was the symbol of a great and prosperous kingdom. Now, it is little more than a prison, holding back the monster that destroyed it over a century ago."

"Ganon?" Urbosa asked with a raised brow.

"How do you know of the Calamity?" the stranger asked, turning towards them quickly.

"A voice told us about him when we were on top of the tower," Daruk responded simply.

Mipha frowned slightly at the absurdity of the response. While she had heard the voice like the rest of them, telling someone they barely knew was not what she would have considered a good idea. At best, he would think they were disturbed, which could very well drive him away. She was reluctant to lose the only person they had run into so far, especially when she reflected on how kind he had been thus far.

"A voice…" he replied thoughtfully as he turned back to the castle. "Do you recognize it?"

Apparently, she wasn't the only one caught off guard by the question as Urbosa and Revali were looking at him as though he had asked the worst possible question. Maybe, hearing disembodied voices was more common than she thought.

"No," Daruk replied, not phased in the slightest by the unorthodox question.

"I see." Oddly enough, he sounded disappointed by the answer. "May I ask what she told you?"

"Why am I under the impression that you already know?" Mipha felt a small shiver travel through her at the aggressive tone in Urbosa's voice. She had seen the woman playful, irritated, and thoughtful, but this was the first time she had heard the edge that was in her voice now.

"Do you intend to head for the castle?" the man asked, brushing the Gerudo off entirely.

"Don't dodge the question."

"Calm down, Urbosa," Daruk commanded. "Yes, we intend to head for the castle."

"I see. Well, I would avoid heading for the castle immediately. Not only do you lack proper weapons and armor, but you would not even make it."

"And how's that?" Revali scoffed.

"We are on a plateau. You are the only one who would make it, and I don't think you would be able to handle Ganon yourself."

"And what wou –"

"I may have a solution," the stranger interrupted.

Mipha was glad that the old man was able to take Revali's attitude in stride. It was better than responding to his aggression and causing an even bigger meltdown.

"You mean that thing you were flying with earlier?" Daruk asked.

"I would hardly call that flying," Revali grumbled as he folded his wings.

"Indeed. The paraglider does not help one fly, per se. Rather, it helps one ride the wind down safely. I will give you mine, but not for free."

"And what do you want for it?" Daruk asked as he stroked his beard.

The old man pointed towards a nearby structure. As the Zora gazed at it, she began to recognize many of the same symbols that were in the room they had awoken in. The only difference was that these symbols were glowing orange instead of blue. "That shrine rose out of the ground alongside the tower. I would think that it would hold a valuable treasure. Retrieve it for me and I will exchange it for the paraglider."

Mipha was having a difficult time following the conversation. While the negotiations weren't particularly difficult to understand, she was struggling to visualize the paraglider and how it worked. While she was busy trying to imagine how someone like her could ride the winds, Daruk and Urbosa were having a quiet argument of their own. It wasn't until Urbosa's sharp voice cut through her daydreaming that she came back to the conversation.

"Before we agree to this, there is something we need to know." Urbosa set her hands on her hips as she stared squarely at the man. "What is your name?"

"You may call me Rhoam."

Mipha stepped towards Urbosa as her face twisted and a hand flew to grip her head. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the woman replied gruffly as she shook her head. The Zora stepped back as the Gerudo's eyes refocused on Rhoam. "I think that we'll be having a long conversation when all is said and done."

"Yes, I think we will," Rhoam replied calmly. "Now then, the day grows short. I suggest you all get to exploring."

There were still a lot of unanswered questions, but it was quickly decided that they would rather finish the job quickly so that they could find a safe place to spend the night. And so, Mipha found herself near the rear of the group as they moved down the hill and towards the shrine. The Zora felt mildly uneasy about leaving Rhoam behind them; however, the old man was gone when she turned around to look at him.

"You okay?" Link asked from beside her.

"Yes." Even though there was very little change in his expression, she could tell that he didn't believe her. "What do you think of Rhoam?"

The Hylian said nothing as he contemplated the question. "I don't like him," he finally answered, "but I think he wants to help"

Mipha reflected on the response. She wasn't sure what she thought of the man herself. While he had been kind to them, she wasn't sure that it made him trustworthy. He had been strangely cryptic thus far and she couldn't deny that his appearances had been conveniently timed. He had been a short walk away from where they had awakened and had more than enough food for them. He had also would have had to appear within minutes after Daruk and Revali had gotten down from the tower in order to bring the stone that he had provided the Goron with. And then there was his lack of surprise when they had told him they were hearing a voice. All in all, there was something about him that bothered her immensely.

If Link trusted him, then maybe she was overthinking things. Then again, the Hylian had shown some disregard for his physical well-being. At the same time, she had to admit that the quality translated to an inability to judge a person's character or motives.

She sighed as she realized that she was indeed overthinking the problem. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be gained by thinking about Rhoam for the time being.

The entrance to the shrine was blocked off, but it was barely an obstacle. Setting the Slate on the pedestal next to the door was enough to cause the door to slide away, revealing a small alcove with a floating platform.

There was just enough room for them all to pile in before the platform they stood on slowly descended, taking them far below the surface. Mipha eye's widened as a massive chamber came into view. "This is amazing," she murmured as their downward progress came to a halt. She stepped into the rectangular room, looking all around. Just the thought that something so expansive could exist just below the surface was exciting to her. It made her wonder what other secrets were hidden below the surface.

As soon as their descent came to a halt, Link stepped off and began crossing the room. Mipha accompanied him, knowing that he was heading for the pedestal that she had spotted during their downward journey. As they approached their destination, she noticed two metal slabs laying side by side in the floor. She wondered if there was a purpose for them being there, but like most of the questions she had been faced with that day, there were no apparent answers.

"Sheikah Slate authenticated… distilling rune…" Link read.

"Rune?" Daruk questioned as he peered over Link's shoulder.

"Magnesis: grab onto metallic objects using the magnetic energy that pours forth from the Magnesis rune. Objects held in magnetic snare can be lifted up and moved freely."

"Who knew you could read such big words?" Revali asked snidely.

Mipha glared at the Rito as Daruk spoke up sharply. "Hey, take it easy on the Little Guy."

"Let's focus," Urbosa interjected. "We just need to find whatever this treasure is and get it to Rhoam."

"I know, but he really needs to start being a team player."

"Excuse me, I am standing right here!"

"I agree," Urbosa replied, completely ignoring Revali, "but discussing that right now isn't going to help."

As the three-way argument continued, Mipha noticed that Link was looking back towards the metal plates they had passed earlier. He held the Slate up, analyzing it before tapping its face. The Hylian then pointed the device at one of the slabs and tapped something else. She looked back towards the slab and watched dumbfounded as it floated through the air. When she turned back to Link, he had a small grin on his face as he moved the Slate around. He met her gaze and nodded back towards the plate, prompting her to turn her attention back to it just as it was returned to gravity's control.

"Oh yes, because you are the pinnacle of – ACKK!" Revali exclaimed as the plate crashed to the ground behind him.

"I think I figured out how it works," Link announced as everyone but he and Mipha looked around wildly.

Mipha hid her mirth behind a hand as Revali grew more agitated while Daruk and Urbosa's laughter echoed around the chamber.

After everyone's fits died down, Link handed the Slate to Revali.

"What's this for?" the Rito asked, eyeing the device as though it would bite him.

"We should all know how to use it," Link replied.

Revali took it, trying his best to look unimpressed even as he treated it just a little too gingerly. Mipha's eyes rolled high above her as she watched the display. Revali had a bad habit of poking fun at the Hylian, yet there were plenty of moments that they could have done the same to him.

To Mipha's surprise, Revali figured out the controls for Magnesis rather quickly. What didn't come as a surprise was his attempt at boasting about how quickly he had figured it out. Urbosa had remained unimpressed and took the Slate from him as soon as he had finished. As was expected of the shrewd Gerudo, she too was quick to learn the controls and soon enough, she was passing the Slate onto Daruk. The poor Goron struggled, forcing Link to step in and help. After a few missteps and one more near-death experience for a melodramatic Rito, Daruk was proficient enough to hand the device to Mipha.

Magnesis was fairly intuitive as far as the Zora was concerned. All it really required was the ability to make sense of a few icons on the Slate's face. After she had become suitably acquainted with the Slate's new ability, she handed it back to Link. The Hylian appeared relieved to have the object back in his hands. She hadn't noticed until she was handing it back to him, but Link had been becoming increasingly anxious as the Sheikah Slate was passed around. He finally relaxed after it was back in his possession.

"So, is that the treasure?" Daruk asked skeptically.

"I doubt it. It's too simple," Urbosa replied.

"For once we agree on something."

"I think I saw a path under metal plates," Link said.

"You're just now telling us?" Revali asked as he took a step towards the Hylian.

"I thought we should all know how to use Magnesis."

Revali was about to say something else when Urbosa cut in. "Do you two remember what happened the last time you two fought?"

"Don't –"

"Daruk here knocked some sense into you."

"You're gonna be the death of me," Daruk sighed before lumbering away.

"Hold on, Big Guy. I think we should have Mipha take a look at Revali's throat. All that emasculating squawking he's been doing has probably damaged his throat and I would hate for his voice to fail him when he needs help."

"Excuse –"

"Don't," Daruk interrupted as he set a hand on the Rito's back. "Anything you say will make it worse. Let's just get moving."

With that, the two turned and walked towards the hole that was just visible from where they were standing. Link followed close behind.

"My, they seem rather close now," Urbosa noted as she and Mipha remained still.

"Perhaps the strongest bonds are formed in mutual suffering," Mipha deadpanned.

"Are you saying that you and Link should experience the same 'suffering?'"

Mipha opted to hide her burning face by trying to catch up to the others, leaving the chuckling older woman to follow after her.

* * *

"I still don't understand," Daruk muttered, stroking his beard as he waited to reach the surface. He and the others had discovered a small series of puzzles, all of which required them to use the Magnesis ruin in some form or fashion. Creating bridges out of long metal slabs, moving platforms along tracks, and opening doors that even his formidable strength had been unable to budge. At the end of the road, they had discovered a frail mummy who claimed to be a servant of the Goddess Hylia.

"He told us that it was necessary to unlock the rune for use outside of the shrine," Urbosa replied.

"I get that. But why make us do the puzzles?" The way he saw it, they had spent an unnecessary amount of time doing simple puzzles.

"It's an effective way to teach," Revali stated as light from the setting sun greeted them. "You give someone the opportunity to learn what to do and then stick them in a situation where they have to apply what they learned in various ways."

Daruk was impressed. Revali had an understanding of what the purpose of the shrine was and could verbalize it simply. Considering the Rito's attitude, he hadn't expected that he had any inclinations or talents when it came to teaching. The Goron didn't think of himself as an expert but he would have assumed that Revali didn't have the right temperament. Maybe after warming up to them some more, he would be a more pleasant companion.

"Let's find –"

A loud "Hoooo" cut Urbosa off, drawing everyone's attention upwards. Rhoam was gliding towards them, holding on to a wooden frame that was covered in cloth. The paraglider allowed the large man to glide down towards them gracefully. "I see that you have acquired a new power. Well done!" he said as he landed smoothly in front of them and folded up the paraglider.

The Goron was a bit creeped out. He had thought that whatever the shrine had held would be valuable to the man, but he hadn't expected him to show up so soon. It would have been one thing if Rhoam had been waiting for them, but he had appeared in the air above them less than five minutes after they had reached the surface. He could see his own suspicions reflected on the faces of his companions.

"We kept up our end of the bargain," Urbosa stated as Link stepped forward and grudgingly held out the Slate. "Now it's time for you to hold up yours."

"About that," Rhoam replied pleasantly, "I've had some time to think, and I believe the time has come for us to renegotiate the terms of our exchange."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't know why the tower scene is considered romantic.


	3. A Change in Terms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated on 11-13-2018

Not long after Rhoam had gone back on his end of the agreement, the group had located a monster encampment and ambushed it. While Mipha had not been pleased by the prospect of needlessly putting themselves at risk, she couldn't deny that there had been some advantages. They had new weapons - and while they weren't of the highest quality, they were better than the sticks and clubs they had been forced to use in their previous conflicts. Even though she wasn't fond of conflict, she felt better now that she had an actual weapon.

The other advantage to having slain the monsters was that they now had a shelter for the night. She wasn't fond of the skull-like appearance of the stone that she would be sleeping in, but it was easy enough to ignore while on the inside. It was even more difficult to focus on the unfortunate appearance while her mind was wandering, mulling over the various questions that had presented themselves to her over the course of the day. Who was she? Who did the voice she kept hearing belong to? How did she know Link? The Zora found it more likely that she would find a plethora of questions before she found the most basic answers.

In the middle of their camp sat a fire that burned brightly against her darkening surroundings. Even though she sat further away from it than Daruk and Urbosa, she still stared deeply into it, as though it held the answers she sought.

"How are you?" Urbosa asked as she sat down next to Mipha.

"I am well."

"Are you sure? You're sitting all the way over here, by your lonesome."

"Sitting close to the fire is unpleasant," Mipha replied. It was partially true, but it wasn't the only reason she was sitting further away from it.

"You know," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully as she set a finger on her chin, "that was the same face you made when you lied to us about how badly Link and Revali were hurt."

She was shocked to find out that Urbosa had not only known that she was lying, but hadn't called her out on it. Then again, she wasn't terribly upset to find out that she was a poor liar. There were far better things to be good at than deceiving her companions.

"Well I… also needed some breathing room." Mipha squirmed as she admitted it. It was true that she had needed some space after the constant company she'd had throughout the day but finding a tactful way of saying it was difficult.

"Would you need breathing room if Link were here?"

Daruk, in another attempt to teach the Hylian and Rito to work as a team, had sent them out to recover supplies. They had been gone for quite some time, but Mipha wasn't terribly worried. Both were more than capable of handling the Bokoblins that infested the Plateau. If anything, they were more of a threat to themselves and each other. At least they had the good sense to not attack the other.

"I think so, yes." Even though it wasn't the Gerudo's first attempt to poke a bit of fun at her Link's habit of sticking close together, Mipha still struggled to hide the blood that was rushing to her face.

"So that's a no then."

"Aw, give her a break," Daruk called from over by the fire.

"You know, Big Guy, it's rude to eavesdrop."

"Is it eavesdropping when you're talking loud enough for me to hear?"

"Don't listen, then," Urbosa replied with a shake of her head. "Anyway," she continued, lowering her voice, "there was something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes?" Mipha asked nervously.

"You should have more faith in yourself."

"What?"

"You keep hesitating and blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault, but so far, you've done a marvelous job of keeping up."

"She's right," Daruk called again.

"We just talked about this!" she called back before returning her attention to Mipha. "Just remember that if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have made it this far, and Link and Revali would likely be dead." The Gerudo set a hand on her shoulder and stared directly into the Zora's eyes, "just think on it, all right?"

Mipha did indeed think on it as Urbosa stood up and took her place next to Daruk. Maybe Urbosa had a point. Link had been doing his best to carry not only his weight but everyone else's as well. The Hylian was strong and had a fair amount of skill from what she could see, but even he couldn't go it alone. He had needed her help before they had even left the shrine they had woken up in. Maybe it was okay that she had needed help.

An obnoxious voice cut through her reverie. "I don't understand how we could be out for that long, and you couldn't be bothered to gather anything."

"I gathered supplies," Link answered as he and Revali entered the campsite.

"Oh really? Wait! Don't tell me. You stowed them in that satchel you found, didn't you?"

"Yep."

"What's wrong?" Daruk sighed as he started scratching at his beard.

"Well, Link here decided that instead of picking up anything of actual use, he'd settle for a pouch that Rhoam left lying just outside."

"Is that true?" Urbosa asked sharply.

"I picked some fruits and-"

"Did Rhoam leave it just outside?"

"Yeah," Link replied. "He left a note saying he thought it could be useful."

"And how could a pouch the size of a stone –"

Link didn't wait for the Rito to finish the question. He removed the small satchel from his waist and upended it, pouring various fruits, vegetables, bundles of wood, and other goods in a pile at his feet.

"- be useful?" Revali finished with wide eyes.

"Careful Feathers. Your beak is almost touching the floor," Urbosa muttered dryly. "We need to talk about this."

"I agree," Daruk replied. "Everyone, gather around."

Mipha got to her feet and joined the others as they began arranging themselves in a circle a little way from the fire. She wasn't looking forward to having a group discussion. It would have been different if it weren't both Revali and Urbosa, but both large personalities would be present, and they had a habit of clashing. Her only real hope at that point was that Daruk could keep them both in check. Heaven knew that any attempt of hers to keep the peace between them would inevitably end with her voice drowning in the argument. Daruk, on the other hand, had a few successes in reining them in over the day.

"We need to figure out what we're gonna do about Rhoam," the Goron stated when everyone was seated. "What do you think, Revali?"

"We can't trust him," the Rito replied immediately. "He's obviously been keeping an eye on our every move and hasn't told us anything about himself."

Mipha could understand Revali's paranoia when it came to the old man. Before he had left them earlier, he had challenged the Rito to a race to the top of the tower. He should have had the race in the bag, but Rhoam had beaten him somehow. What was even stranger was that Revali had gotten a sizeable head start. No matter how hard he had tried to hide it, Revali had been rather shaken by that.

"Urbosa?"

"I agree," the Gerudo replied, maintaining her calm, unlike Revali. "He's already gone back on our first agreement. I don't believe he'll honor this one."

It was another sentiment the Zora understood. Rhoam had not only changed the terms of their bargain, but he had done so immediately after they had obtained the Magnesis Rune. As far as Mipha could tell, Urbosa had a strong code of honor that was to be adhered to. By going back on his word, Rhoam had effectively broken that code, and that was something the Gerudo was struggling to reconcile herself with.

While she could understand why the Gerudo was upset about what had happened, Mipha personally saw the sense of the new agreement. They would find the other three shrines and retrieve their runes, and in exchange, Rhoam would give them three paragliders instead of one. He had even pulled them out and showed them when Urbosa had demanded proof. She had a feeling that the man was more honest than they had given him credit for.

"Mipha?"

"… I think we should work with him."

"And why's that?" Daruk asked.

"I know that he has not been entirely forthright with us, but I think that everything he is doing is to help us."

"And what makes you –"

"Revali!" Daruk rumbled warningly.

"W-well, I also thought it might be nice to have extra paragliders so that Revali didn't have to fly one between us…" she trailed off weekly as the Rito glared her as though she had insulted him. She hadn't meant to be rude. She just wanted to make his life easier so that maybe he would be a bit more bearable.

"She has a point," Urbosa muttered to the Rito, tearing his attention from Mipha.

"What do you think, Little Guy?"

"… I think we can trust him…" was all the Hylian said.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Link shrugged. "I don't really like him and I'm not even sure he's a Hylian, but I think he's trustworthy."

"I agree," Daruk said. "I don't see any other way around it."

"So, that's it then?!" Revali asked irately as he leaped to his feet. "We're just going to –"

"Enough!" Urbosa snapped. "I like this as little as you, but the matter has been decided."

"And how was that?" Revali scoffed.

"We each had an opportunity to speak, and the majority agreed to work with Rhoam."

Mipha wasn't sure if the tightness in Urbosa's voice was because of the decision that had been reached or because Revali was making another scene. Either way, she didn't want to be on the Gerudo's bad side.

The Rito huffed before stalking off to an uninhabited section of the camp. He proceeded to pace back and forth agitatedly as the rest of the group splintered off, leaving only Link and Mipha sitting in the remnants of the circle.

"You okay?"

"Yes," Mipha answered succinctly.

Link nodded and left her alone, so he could tend to the fire. She was grateful that he hadn't insisted on a drawn-out conversation about their mental states. He was her favorite of the group, but she hadn't been lying when she told Urbosa that she needed some time alone. She might have enjoyed talking to him if the day hadn't been so taxing. Before she allowed herself to relax fully, she glanced at each of her companions one more time.

Revali was still pacing in his corner, and Daruk and Urbosa had sequestered themselves in another corner, likely discussing what the plan for tomorrow was. Link was pulling out various fruits and vegetables and was cutting them up and tossing them into a pot he had acquired from somewhere. The Hylian set the pot over the fire and stirred the contents, occasionally adding a few grasses and other ingredients he had found on his earlier excursion.

Seeing that everyone else was preoccupied, Mipha finally allowed herself to relax. With nothing left for her to do, the Zora lost herself in the myriad of questions that still had no answers. She knew that concentrating on them would do nothing to help her answer them, but something about the act brought her some comfort. Turning them over in her mind reminded her that she had indeed been someone before whatever had happened occurred. There was hope that she would one day remember who she was.

"Dinner's ready." Link was standing just above her, proffering a bowl of steaming food.

"Thank you," Mipha replied with a smile as she took the dish.

Link nodded and left her alone again as he returned to the fire and ladled his own portion into his bowl. Mipha stared into her own bowl for a few seconds before she impulsively climbed to her feet and joined Link by the fire. The heat bothered her a little, but the discomfort was manageable. As she settled next to him, she caught sight of Urbosa giving her a knowing glance. She felt her face redden slightly as she realized that the Gerudo was most definitely going to bring up the topic later.

* * *

Urbosa and Link walked side by side behind an irritable Daruk. After their meal the night before, Urbosa had taken the first watch to ensure that the others could rest without worrying about being attacked in their sleep. Daruk had made the mistake of assuming that she had any intention waking him up to relieve her. She could see the exhaustion weighing the Goron down even after he had consumed the stone that Rhoam had provided for him. Evidently, the fall from the tower had taken more out of him than he was willing to admit.

Mipha had been exhausted as well. The Zora had hidden it well, but by the time she had finished her meal last night, she could barely form a coherent thought. Both she and the Goron had needed as much sleep as they could get.

The Gerudo had filled the empty hours of her watch with reflections on Rhoam, the images his name had summoned in her mind. As soon as he had spoken his name, she had seen images of a woman with blonde hair and bright blue eyes surrounded by smile lines, three golden triangles, and an infant with golden locks. Unfortunately, she had been unable to identify anything that she had seen, leaving her fairly disappointed when the time came to wake Link up.

"Remember what I said," Daruk growled as they finally reentered the camp, "Make sure you at least talk to the rest of us before you go and do something like that."

"Relax, Big Guy. We're not going to make a habit of it."

"Wish I could believe that."

Urbosa chuckled as the group cleaned up the camp and got ready to move to the nearest shrine. As they filed out of the rock they had spent the night in, she sidled up to Mipha. She had caught the Zora eyeing her spear with something that looked like regret. Mipha wasn't stupid either, and she had likely figured out what had happened.

"Don't hold yourself accountable for actions you didn't take," she whispered so only the Zora could hear. She had meant what she said when she told the girl to have more faith in herself and she wasn't about to let Mipha blame herself for her own choices.

She didn't leave time for Mipha to reply as she sped up and caught up to Daruk. The Goron was not far behind Link, who was using the Slate's map function to guide them towards the shrine.

"I'm not surprised that Link would do that, but I thought you would have a bit more sense." She grinned when she heard the disappointment in his voice.

"Or perhaps we have more sense than you think," she replied with a raised brow. She held up a hand as he opened his mouth to retort, "hear me out. I know you think that Link and I were trying to take on too much, but do you have any idea how exhausted you and Mipha were? You both were ready to drop."

"I know but –"

"You're trying to make sure we all take care of ourselves?"

"I'm trying to get us to work as a team."

"That is working as a team," Urbosa responded patiently. "You two needed rest more than we did, so we stepped up."

"But you left Revali out of it entirely," Daruk pointed out as they climbed a shallow hill.

Originally, Urbosa had planned to wake Link, and then the Hylian would wake Revali. She should have expected that Link wouldn't wake the Rito and would finish the watch himself. She supposed that the action did make sense to some degree. Revali had many qualities, but stupidity was not one of them. The Rito would have been able to figure out that he had been forced to stay awake while Mipha and Daruk were able to rest and he would have never let them hear the end of it. Not only that, but Revali likely wouldn't have dealt well with the talking too they had just received from the Goron.

Instead, Link had stayed awake through the night and even taken the time to clean and polish the weapons they had acquired the night before. While she appreciated the gesture, she would have rather he had told her that was his plan from the beginning. She was not interested in making it a habit. Just because he could go one or two nights without being affected didn't mean that he should.

"I had meant for Link to wake Revali up, but he thought better of it." She rolled her eyes as the Goron gave her a pointed look. "You know how he would have reacted if he found out that he had to stay up while you and Mipha didn't have to."

"But he still needs to learn to work with us."

"He feels put upon enough, and we haven't even asked much of anything of him." It was difficult to discern just what the Rito was thinking most of the time, but there was some point of contention in him. She could imagine that it wouldn't take much to convince Revali that he would be better off alone. "When he settles in better, then we can work at it."

"I suppose you have a point."

"You don't have to sound so upset about that."

They both chuckled as the conversation died down; however, the moment was short-lived. During the course of their discussion, they had entered the grounds of what appeared to be an offshoot of the Temple of Time. "What's this place?" Daruk asked.

"The Eastern Abbey," Link answered.

Like the Temple proper, it was in a disheveled state, with various plant life overtaking the broken stonework. The only major difference was that, unlike the Temple, it lacked a roof and the majority of its walls. What few remained barely came to a rest above Daruk's head. Obviously, this place served no other purpose than to house the servants of the Temple.

Urbosa felt her skin crawl as they made their way through remnants of a hallway. The place was far too quiet for her liking. On their way towards the Abbey, they had heard birds singing, seen squirrels scurrying about, and witnessed a variety of other signs that nature was flourishing. Within the confines of the Abbey, there was absolute silence, save for the sound of their steps. She couldn't help but feel that they were being foolish as they traveled into an area that everything save plants avoided.

She froze in place suddenly as the faintest scraping reached her ears.

"Somethin' wrong?"

She hushed the Goron with a finger as the others stopped as well, finally noticing that something wasn't quite right.

"I thought I heard something," she stated as she relaxed.

"Getting a bit jumpy, are we?"

The Gerudo ignored the Rito's snide tone as she continued listening intently. She had noticed a few of the broken-down machines were scattered just outside the entrance. They hadn't yet run into any that were active, but that didn't mean there weren't any.

The group continued onwards, stepping much more cautiously than they had previously. Even Revali, who was ever the skeptic, seemed to feel the need to proceed as quietly as possible.

Link stared down at his map as he came upon a break in the wall. He aimed towards it, guiding Mipha and Revali towards it as Urbosa and Daruk brought up the rear. As the Hylian stepped into the opening, Urbosa saw a red mark appear on his head. Reacting instinctively, she lunged forward and wrapped an arm around Revali, dragging the Rito back as Link spun around and dove towards Mipha. He tackled the unsuspecting Zora to the ground as a bright flash of light shot through the space he had been occupying a second before. Link was back up and helping Mipha to her feet as an explosion tore through the air behind them.

"What was that?!" Urbosa hissed as Revali pushed her off of him.

"One of those machines," Link muttered back. "Hold on." The Hylian stuck his head back out, leaving it in the open for a few seconds before pulling back quickly as another beam of light raced past him. "It doesn't have legs, and it's rusted."

"Feathers, you still have those arrows you found yesterday?"

"Let's assume I'm not careless-"

"Now really isn't the time!" Daruk growled.

"Yes!" Revali replied caustically.

"Think you can put one of the shock ones in it before it hits you?" she asked.

"In my sleep."

"Then get ready to prove it," she replied. She really hoped that Revali was as skilled as he claimed to be. Thus far, he had proven that he was at least competent in the midst of battle; however, he had also been within reach had he been in any danger. This time, they wouldn't be able to get to him in time if he found himself in a bad way. Even more worrisome was the thought of what exactly the machine's weapon could do to him. She had no doubts that it would leave little if anything, for Mipha to heal if he were hit.

"You got a plan?" Daruk questioned.

"I think Revali can use the shock arrows he found to stun it. Then you get in close and –"

"Knock it into next week," Daruk finished, pounding a fist to his chest proudly.

"I was going to say smash it to bits, but next week will do."

"Is now really the best time to be joking around?"

"Do you really want my answer?" the Gerudo asked playfully as the Goron rolled his eyes. As she saw it, there was no point in allowing the tension to get to them unnecessarily. Sure, there were times to take things seriously, but taking it too seriously would become exhausting rather quickly.

"Get ready," Daruk commanded, not bothering to answer her question. Revali crouched low to the ground as Daruk took his place behind him, followed by the other three. Even though it there was probably little sense in them sticking close to the Goron, they were all determined to do so anyway. "Go!"

Revali sprang into the air and soared high over the wall that was hiding the rest of them. Urbosa watched carefully as the machine took aim at him, but the Rito easily dodged the shot that was taken at him.

"Now!" Daruk shouted. They all ran after the charging Goron as he burst through the opening. Urbosa noted how the machine's head sparked as it spun around chaotically. Luckily for them all, her plan was working so far.

Unfortunately, the effects of the electrically amplified arrow didn't last nearly as long as she had expected. Within moments of coming into view, the machine had regained control of its eye and was focusing on Daruk. It was only able to focus for a second as another shock arrow fell from the sky and planted itself in the rusted body. The eye fell into another bout of chaotic spinning, buying Daruk enough time to close the remaining distance between them. The Goron lowered his shoulder, using it to ram the machine with his combined strength and weight. The rusted, metal chassis shattered from the force of the collision, causing little metallic shards to splinter off and fly in every direction as it fell onto its side. Link dashed around the Goron, swinging his ax down on the exposed wires and gears for good measure. The mechanical head spun around, coming to focus on them one last time before the eye went dark.

Everyone relaxed, catching their breath as Revali lighted down next to them. Even though the battle had lasted less than a minute, it had still been enough to get adrenaline pumping through their systems.

"Well, thanks to me, we have defeated an adversary that even the great Lady Urbosa was wary of!" Revali punctuated his announcement with a bow, as though he were some sort of performer.

"You were rather impressive," Urbosa agreed. Though she didn't care for the Rito's attitude, she was still willing to give credit where it was due, and he had performed admirably.

"I'm glad that you are finally learning to appreciate my talents."

"Oh, I appreciate your talents, Feathers. It's the rest of you that I have a problem with." she clarified. She recognized that her words were far from diplomatic, but so far, diplomacy had done little to actually reach him. As far as the Gerudo was concerned, it was time for a different tactic.

"Which way, Little Guy?" Daruk's question was more than loud enough to cut through the imminent argument, putting a stop to it before it could really begin.

Link once again pulled out the Slate and guided them towards their goal. The journey to the shrine, the ride on the descending platform, and the subsequent discovery of another rune was silent, much like their initial foray into the Abbey. Unlike the Abbey, it had nothing to do with the apprehension of waiting for an attack. This time, it was caused by the tension everyone felt within the group.

The rune contained within the Abbey's shrine gave them the ability to create bombs from the Slate and detonate them at their leisure. Link had immediately showcased the new rune by using it to blast a wall of blocks that hindered their progress into oblivion. Once the dust had settled, he handed the Slate to Mipha, allowing the Zora to take the lead.

Urbosa lagged behind, allowing Revali ample space as he sulked. The moment to make any sort of use of their earlier conversation had passed, and to dog him any further wouldn't serve any constructive purpose. She had no problem having an unpleasant conversation when there was something to be gained, but she wasn't about to tear down one of her companions unnecessarily.

Mipha was easily able to clear their path forward, though the easy solutions ended there. As they rounded a corner, they found themselves standing on a ledge of a large gap. To cross the gap, they would have to stand on the solitary platform that floated across the gap. On the other side of the gap stood another wall of blocks, which wouldn't even allow them a foothold. The solution was simple enough. They would have to roll a bomb across the platform as it reached them, but not too hard or they risked it falling off the other side. From there, they would have to wait until it reached the other side so they could detonate it. It would take time, but they would figure it out.

"Let me see it." Apparently, Revali had different plans.

The Rito took a few seconds to acquaint himself with the rune before launched himself up into the air. He flapped for a few seconds, keeping himself suspended above them before he went into a shallow dive. As he reached the wall, the Rito pulled up sharply as he dropped a bomb and detonated it.

"Nice one, Revali!" Daruk shouted as the wall crumbled, allowing the Rito to land. He remained motionless as Urbosa and the others crossed the gap and joined him.

Once again, Urbosa lagged behind as Link, Daruk, and Mipha forged ahead, giving her a few moments alone with Revali. "Keep that up, and I may have to take back what I said earlier."

"I don't care what you think." The Rito dropped the Slate in her hands carelessly as he left her behind. Urbosa watched his back for a few seconds as she contemplated something. As she had said her piece, she could have sworn that she saw the faintest smile tug at the edges of Revali's beak.

Maybe she had misjudged him.

* * *

Link sat on a rock, idly munching on an apple as he watched each of his companions. After they had completed the shrine and unlocked the Bomb Rune, they had left the shrine and the Abbey far behind. Though they had shaken off their encounter with the spider-like machine, they had still given the Temple a wide berth on the off chance that there were more of them that were still functioning. After they had put a sizeable distance between themselves and the Abbey, Daruk had finally decided that it was time for a break, giving them the opportunity to rest and eat.

After their meal, they had splintered off again as they had the night prior.

Revali was counting his arrows and tuning his bow. While the Hylian didn't particularly care for the Rito, he could appreciate his dedication when it came to maintaining his weapon. He didn't waste any opportunity to count and recount his arrows, along with organizing the various types he had found so far. Under ordinary circumstances, Link may have considered it overkill, but considering the quality of their weapons, he couldn't blame Revali.

Daruk and Urbosa were engaged in a quiet conversation. Link enjoyed Daruk's company quite a lot. When he wasn't busy settling disputes between the various members of the party, he was quite genial and unassuming. He took things as they came and was more than willing to see the best in them all.

He didn't enjoy Urbosa's company as much, but he far from disliked her. She was a bit too quick to make a joke in his opinion and took very few things seriously, but he couldn't deny that she was just as reliable as Daruk. She could also be amusing at times as well. He supposed that it wasn't really a bad thing, seeing as she broke much of the tension that threatened to strain them. As he saw it, he would just have to accept her mischievous nature, regardless of whether or not he approved of it in the moment.

Mipha was the only one of them that wasn't currently in the camp. After their quick meal, she had wandered off. Figuring that she needed some time to herself, as she had the night before, Link hadn't even asked her where she was going. He had no doubt that she was close by and that he could find her quickly if need be.

Daruk had been opposed to any of them straying too far, but Urbosa had managed to talk him into allowing her to go.

When he had finished the apple, he pulled the Slate out and peered at the map. He had already plotted their course to the next shrine, so all he was really doing was growing more familiar with the surrounding terrain.

"Is Mipha still gone?" Daruk asked suddenly.

Link nodded.

"I was hoping to get moving here soon," he sighed.

"I'll go find her," Link replied as he stood up, hooking the Slate on his belt. He had nothing else to do, and more importantly, he had a good idea of where she had gone.

On the Slate, he had noticed a few ponds nearby. Supposing that she would be drawn to them, he made his way to the closest one, following a small trail he could only assume had been created by wildlife.

As he followed the thin, uneven trail, the Hylian couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement laying just below the surface of his calm. It took him some thought, but he eventually figured out what it was that he found exhilarating. So far, he and the others had been traveling to specific locations on the Plateau for specific reasons. To find answers, collect gear, find shelter, and whatever other purpose that needed attending to. This time was different. This time, he could slow down and appreciate the sights around him, and he found the prospect appealing.

Sure, he was on a mission of sorts, but a part of that was inherently slowing down and keeping an eye on his surroundings. He would be sure to take full advantage of that.

As it turned out, it was a short walk to the pond. Pulling aside the brush, he spotted Mipha who was swimming gracefully in the clear waters. He watched her as he approached the water's edge, finding her movements fascinating. Her body propelled her forward by undulating up and down, making her look like a scarlet wave traveling through the deep blue background. The Zora appeared troubled, her eyes unfocused and a frown scrawled across her face. She had probably been hoping to find some sense of peace.

Link sat down, deciding that allowing her a few more minutes to find that peace couldn't be of much harm.

Mipha saw him and swam towards him, pulling herself up and sitting next to him. "Is something wrong, Link?" she asked quietly.

"Daruk wants to continue on."

"I see…" The Zora made no movements to get up.

"You okay?" He had asked that same question time and time again over the past two days, and he had accepted the same answer every time. He had a feeling that the conversation would go a bit differently this time.

"I was looking at my reflection, and it made me wonder if… if we remember who we are… would I like who I was back then?"

Link's eyes shifted down to the Zora's reflection, taking in the details that weren't hidden by the ripples as he turned the question over in his mind. He didn't have the first clue how to respond to such a query as he hadn't even considered it for himself.

Why had that been?

As he pondered his own answer, the only conclusion he could reach was that it didn't matter in the present. Thinking about what kind of person he had been in a past he couldn't remember wasn't really relevant to the current tasks. Right now, the real concern was finding a way off the Plateau and figuring out what was really going on.

He was about to give her his answer, but he was stopped by her somber expression. He still had no idea what he was supposed to say, so he said the first thing that popped into his head. "I like you."

"W-what?" For some reason, the Zora appeared mildly flustered by his words. "Why?"

"I don't really know," he answered as honestly as he could. He still had next to no idea what was going on and didn't really know Mipha all that well. All he could really judge her on was what he did know so far: she was kind, nice to talk to, and cared for them in a way that was too genuine to be insincere. It was simple, but at the same time, it was enough. "I think you're a good person."

"You do?"

"Yep. If you wind up not liking who you were back then… We can cross that bridge when we get there," he decided. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something. To his relief, her frown died away as she looked back down at her reflection. He could see her worries hadn't disappeared entirely but didn't have nearly the hold they'd had before he had said anything.

"For what it's worth, I like you too," she murmured quietly as she smiled at him.

He returned her smile but refrained from saying anything else. As far as he was concerned, nothing more needed to be spoken.

"I hate getting in the way of a budding romance- " Link wasn't sure how, but Mipha's already pure white scales lost even more color, not that he could blame her. His own heart had stopped as soon as Urbosa's voice had sounded behind them, "-but we really should be getting back to the others."

Link shot another glance at Mipha, whose face had decided to overcompensate its color loss by replacing it with a red that grew deeper by the second. He sighed internally as he stood up and held a hand out to her, helping the flustered Zora to her feet. He was under the impression that this wasn't something that would be going away soon, and the grin on the Gerudo's face all but confirmed it.

* * *

"What exactly were they talking about?"

"It's rude to pry, Feathers."

Daruk sighed as Revali huffed about Urbosa's "affectionate" nickname for him. Those two were going to be the death of him. As soon as Urbosa had returned with a stuttering mess of a Zora, the Rito had immediately set about trying to figure out exactly what had happened. Despite the fact that Urbosa was clearly amused about something, she had remained tight-lipped about whatever she had witnessed, much to Revali's chagrin.

The Goron watched as the Rito stalked ahead, leaving him and Urbosa alone for a minute. "So, what happened?" he asked.

"Didn't I just say it was rude to pry?" she replied, giving him a mischievous smile in the process. She chuckled as he gave her a pointed look. She knew well that his reasons for wanting to know had everything to do with his concern for the two of them. "Mipha was expressing some doubts, and Link was trying to help."

"Is she okay?"

"I think so."

"Good." He didn't need to know what had been said specifically. That was between those two as far as he was concerned. His only motive was to make sure that the Zora was well off. He didn't like the idea that she was walking around, harboring doubts about herself. That wasn't a way for anyone to live.

"That's it?"

"Yep. The only other thing I don't get is why you're leavin' them alone about it." So far, the Gerudo had taken a few opportunities to poke a bit of fun at the Hylian and Zora regarding their friendship. It wasn't something he understood himself, but maybe that was just the gratitude talking. Unlike a few of the other relationships in the group, Link and Mipha didn't constantly need a mediator. If they had any disagreements, they were handling them quietly.

"Give me a bit of credit," the woman said, feigning hurt. "I'm not a heartless tease, just next to heartless."

"Uh huh."

The Goron let the conversation with a sigh as he heard Revali's argumentative tone ahead of him.

"Just give it to me and I'll be back by tomorrow at the latest."

"What's going on?" the Goron questioned as he approached. He had a gut feeling that they were discussing the cliff that Link had led them to. There was a ledge across the chasm, but he wasn't sure how that would help them if they couldn't even cross it.

"There isn't any easy way to the next shrine," Link answered as he pointed towards the opposing ledge. "We'll have to cross and climb up over there."

"Or, you could give the Slate to me, and I can take care of the problem easily."

"I don't want anyone going by themselves." He turned back to Link, "do you have a plan to cross?"

"We can use the trees to make a bridge," the Hylian responded.

"All right…" Daruk muttered, coming up with a plan that wouldn't be at all popular. His only hope was that it would pay off. "Mipha and I won't be able to climb up there, so you and Link will have to go together. Think you can handle it."

The Goron braced himself for the Rito's vehement response, but Urbosa cut him off, "your other option is me."

Revali's eyes flicked between the Gerudo and Hylian, sizing them both off before he finally glared at Link. "Don't hold me back," he huffed.

Link just shrugged. If he was at all displeased with the plan, he didn't let it show.

With the decision made, the group set to finding a suitably large tree for Link to crawl across. Working quickly, they cut it down so Daruk could carry it to the ledge and set it across. After everything had been arranged, Revali took to the skies and circled overhead.

"All right, Little Guy, be careful."

Link nodded as he stepped onto the makeshift bridge. Daruk remained close by, watching the Hylian's every cautious move. If something happened, there wasn't much he could do, but he felt better staying close by. In the end, it turned out to be the right decision as the log began to shift about halfway through Link's crossing.

Daruk dashed forward and held the log steady as the Hylian lost his balance, eliciting a shout from Mipha and Urbosa. Thankfully, the Hylian was quick to react and managed to wrap his arms securely around the trunk before he fell to his death. The Goron maintained his grip on the tree, preventing it from rolling as Link carefully adjusted himself and finished his crossing.

The near panicked silence that had fallen was finally broken as the three that remained collectively sighed in relief.

"They'll be okay." Urbosa was comforting a still shaken Mipha. He found that he wasn't particularly surprised that she was still worried, seeing as she felt responsible for the physical well-being of everyone in the group. The fact that it was Link, the person she was the closest to, was the one in danger would have compounded the problem.

"She's right. The best we can do is take care of ourselves until they come back," the Goron said, hoping that it would distract the Zora from her current concerns. "We should find a place to make camp for the night."

"If it is shelter you need, I can help provide it for you."

Daruk tensed up as he heard Rhoam's voice. "What're you doing here?"

"Collecting firewood," the old man replied as he held up a bundle of sticks he had been carrying. His tone was pleasant as ever like he couldn't hear the accusation in the Goron's question. "I spotted you as I was collecting the last of my kindling."

"Is that so?"

Under normal circumstances, or Daruk's best approximation of normal circumstances, he would have chided Urbosa's tone. For once, he thought it was an appropriate reaction. He had been one of the ones who had voted in favor of working with Rhoam, but that didn't mean he trusted the man. The old Hylian had a habit of appearing far too suddenly too frequently for his taste.

"Indeed. Come." Without waiting for any sort of confirmation, Rhoam turned on his heel and made his way back into the woods behind them.

Exchanging a quick glance with his two companions and coming to a silent agreement, they followed in the old man's steps warily. There were other options, but this might be their best opportunity to learn about the old man. At the very least, they would be able to keep an eye on him - or so the Goron hoped. Rhoam did have the uncanny ability to disappear without a trace.

Their host led them to a small cottage just outside the woods. Just outside the small, wooden hut was a small log with a few tools leaning against it and fire pit with a pot hanging over it. The Goron peered inside the building as Rhoam welcomed them to his home. The inside was a single room, with one half being dominated by an old, decrepit mattress and the other half housing a sturdy table with a few dishes and book on it.

"It looks very nice," Mipha stated kindly as Rhoam finished his welcome.

"There is no need to spare my feelings," the old man chuckled as he sat on the log and leaned over. He arranged the wood he had collected in the pit and started a fire. "I am aware that this place looks serviceable at best."

"Do you plan on fixing it up?" Daruk asked as he settled down.

"No. I am not quite as able as I used to be. Besides, I don't think I'll need it for much longer."

"And why is that?"

"Must you always sound so suspicious, good Lady?" Rhoam asked as he eyed Urbosa with a sly grin.

"Forgive me, but you haven't exactly made yourself trustworthy."

"I suppose you are right…" The man was silent for a moment as though deciding whether or not he wanted to speak his mind. "Very well. Ask one question, and I will answer you honestly."

"What?" Daruk was trying to figure out where this was coming from. While an honest answer might prove his trustworthiness, the way it had come about was puzzling. Why now? Why only one?

"I'll assume that wasn't the question," Rhoam replied dryly. "Our agreement was four runes for three paragliders and I admit that it is not an entirely fair trade. So, you may ask me any question, and I will answer you as honestly as I can."

"What do you want with the Slate?" Urbosa asked immediately.

"Is that the question you want to ask?"

The group all exchanged a nod before turning back to the old man.

"Very well." The old Hylian was silent for a moment before he finally answered. "I have no intention of taking the Slate from you. My only interest in it is making sure that you can utilize its full potential as you will have need of it."

"For what?" While the Shrines had demonstrated just how useful the Slate and its various runes could be, he could only see it as a tool that created some options for travel.

"In due time. This is something that you all need to hear together."

"And the paragliders?" Urbosa asked, her voice strangely devoid of emotion.

"Will be given to you when your friends return, as we agreed. Now then," the man groaned as he stood up, "it is growing late, and I still haven't eaten." With nothing more to say, Rhoam set about making a meal as Daruk, Urbosa, and Mipha sat, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

Revali was perched on the top of a cliff, glaring down at the Hylian that was climbing up towards him.

To put it bluntly, he was annoyed with the Hylian below him.

He had no idea why Daruk had insisted that someone accompany him. Not only was it unnecessary, but it would only slow him down. To make matters worse, his only options had been his two least favorites of the group. If he'd been allowed to take anyone, he would have taken Daruk. The Goron at least appreciated his efforts and had no problem commending him on a job well done. He could easily overlook the first incident involving the Goron as Daruk had at least made it clear that he was valued.

If he couldn't have Daruk, then he would have settled for Mipha. The Zora was frustratingly overbearing when he was injured, but she was mild-mannered and quiet otherwise. He would have been able to forget she was there and gotten on with their mission. He probably would have had to save her from a few dangerous situations, but that may not have been the worst. It could have been the perfect opportunity to show her that Link was not nearly what he made himself out to be and that she should reevaluate the qualities she sought in a companion.

Instead of getting those two as a choice, he'd gotten a choice of either the Hylian or the Gerudo.

The only reason that he'd chosen Link instead of Urbosa was that the Hylian was mercifully quiet most of the time. At first, it had annoyed him to no end, he had quickly realized that, much like Mipha, it made him easier to forget. Urbosa, on the other hand, had been consistently hacking away at his pride for a reason only she would have been able to understand. According to her, she acknowledged his skill but didn't care for his personality, whatever that meant.

He refused to admit, even to himself, but the comment had stung. He wanted to believe that he genuinely didn't care what the others thought of him, but that conversation had served to agitate him greatly.

While it was an entirely separate event, Link's little stunt while crossing the bridge only upset him more. He had thought it was humorous that Link possessed the balance of an old drunk, but apparently, he was the only one. Everyone else had been terrified for the Hylian.

A small part of him wondered why they hadn't been terrified for him. He had to serve as the distraction in two different fights, meaning that he had risked more than anyone else, yet he was never the first one checked after a fight. Instead, Link was always the first.

The one who was trusted.

The one they would lose sleep over.

Would they even be upset if he were to disappear?

He quashed the tiny voice in his head, hating the things that it said. In the end, it didn't matter what the others thought right now. In the end, they would see that they had it wrong all along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nice to actually be happy with the first portions of my work... Was that too dark?


	4. The Blood Moon

 

"You okay, Mipha?" Daruk had been watching her for a while. She had been acting funny since she had woken up. She sent uneasy glances around her as if expecting some inevitable horror to occur.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "I have just had a strange sensation. It's like my scales are crawling, and I… I just feel as though something horrible is about to happen." She finished the last part quickly, as though getting it out faster would somehow make her feel better.

"Link and Revali?"

"No, it's something else."

"That's understandable," said Rhoam. "Today strikes me as particularly unlucky." He frowned at the horizon, staring at something only he could see. "Where is Urbosa," he asked, turning back to his two guests.

"She left a note saying she was going to scout the surroundings," replied Daruk.

"Well, let's hope she returns soon." Rhoam's frown was deep but revealed nothing of his inner thoughts. "We need to prepare. It will be a long night."

* * *

Link and Revali silently rode the platform down to the shrine's interior. Revali watched Link out of the corner of his eye. His mood had yet to improve from the incident yesterday. After crossing the bridge, Link had taken his time to ascend to where Revali had been waiting. At the time, it had been getting late. The taxing journey had left Link exhausted, struggling to even stay on his feet. Though unhappy, Revali had agreed to postpone entering the shrine.

They had camped out next to the shrine. Not a word had been spoken between the two as they huddled around the feeble fire as they tried to stave off the nip of the night air. When Revali had awoken the next morning, he had found Link cleaning up the campsite. Digging into his satchel, Link had pulled a sword he had picked up when they had stormed the Bokoblin camp and strapped it to his back. Revali had taken the time to give his matted wings a quick preen. Eyeing the Hylian the two traveled into the shrine.

The platform finished descending and they stepped off. Link approached the pedestal that awaited them. Revali peered around. He could see the monk waiting at the trials end. Walking would require the rune that Link was retrieving, but there was no reason he couldn't fly.

"Well, since you seem _so_ capable, I'll leave solving this little shrine too you." Link gave him a confused look, but Revali didn't explain. He merely took off and began flying towards the monk. He reached his destination and looked back. He watched as a bridge that was rotating laterally stopped in its tracks. He watched with some interest as it remained in place for a couple more seconds, then started up again as though nothing had happened. He watched as Link made his way to a ramp that had large stone balls rolling down it. As soon as one ball rolled off the edge another was dropped from above to take its place.

Revali gaped as Link stepped in front of the ball, and aimed the Slate at it. It froze in place and Link began sprinting.

' _The Slate can freeze things in place!'_

Link just managed to get around the ball as it began rolling again falling off the edge as Link sprinted for the safety of the platform.

' _Pity. That would have solved one problem.'_ Revali mused. The morbid joke made the Rito feel guilty as the Hylian barely avoided the oncoming ball, darting left just as it thundered past. He did not truly wish to see the boy harmed. But something about the Hylian ruffled his feathers. Still, he knew that he shouldn't be thinking such thoughts, no matter how much he disliked someone. Link finally reached the Monk's resting place. Revali nodded to him curtly. That was the only apology that the boy was going to get from him. Link returned the nod. It was neither cordial nor unfriendly. It was a simple acknowledgment from one to another. They turned to face the monk, and finish the trial.

" _Your performance does not speak to the promise of a hero,"_ rang the monk's voice through Revali's mind. It was void of emotion and judgment. Revali opened his beak to argue, but the monk continued before he could get a word in edgewise. _"You left your comrade behind to bear the burden himself. You cannot possibly hope to save Hyrule alone just as surely as he cannot. If you cannot work with your companions, then Hyrule has no hope.'_ The monk finished speaking and sat there a moment before he dissipated like his predecessors. Revali whipped around to face Link.

"What did he say?"

Link looked at him as though he were speaking a foreign language.

"What did he say," Revali demanded more forcefully.

"The same as the others," Link replied uncertainly.

Revali didn't buy it. He thought it more likely that the Hylian was once again praised for his 'heroic' and 'courageous' attitude, while he was again being told off for not doing enough.

"Just unlock the rune and let's move," he snapped.

Link nodded and moved towards the waiting pedestal. Inserting the slate, he waited a moment for the rune to unlock. Link turned around and looked expectantly at Revali. The Rito glowered back at him.

"What? Lost without big brother Daruk here to tell you where to walk," Revali asked snidely. "You really are just a pack animal, aren't you?"

Link's response was to begin walking back towards the entrance. Revali sent one last irritated look back at where the monk once rested before he began following Link.

The ascent to the surface was as quiet as the descent.

* * *

"What are we preparing for, exactly," asked Daruk. He was peering around the forest they were currently situated in. The Goron found it odd that despite the time of day, there were no chirping birds, no squirrels scampering across the treetops, and no deer poking around carefully. It was far too still for Daruk's comfort.

"…" Rhoam's lack of a response didn't really surprise him. The Old Man, like Mipha, had been sending uneasy glances around all day. Rather than giving an explanation for his strange behavior, he simply gave orders to the three of them. Daruk had to back the old man as Urbosa had staunchly refused to do anything until Rhoam explained himself. The old man sent Urbosa and Mipha to scavenge for materials. Not just food, but any weapons they may find as well. Daruk was to follow him around and carry the wood he chopped up for a fire.

"On certain nights," Rhoam paused for a moment. He collected his thoughts before continuing, "when Ganon's power peaks, vanquished monsters are returned to life. And the ones slain in the name of the light. They," he grunted as he swung the ax yet again, "return to exact vengeance." He straightened and wiped his brow. "This will be what happens to the bokoblins you and your friends disposed of yesterday."

"That isn't so bad. I think we could handle it."

"Indeed. However, there is more. The remains of every monster that died on the plateau will regain life. No matter how little is left, they will claw their way back."

That was when Daruk finally understood.

"How many will there be?"

"An army."

"And Link and Revali?"

"All we can do is pray that Hylia protects them," Rhoam replied quietly.

"How do you know that it's gonna happen tonight?"

"It would seem that those with a high spiritual attunement are able to sense them."

"You have a high spiritual attunement?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Assuming we survive, how will we know when the next one is coming?"

"I think you already know the answer to that."

"Mipha." Daruk's response was more a statement than a question.

"Indeed," replied Rhoam as he started chopping again. "The Zora are a highly pious people. That along with their longevity has allowed them to obtain a spirituality that is far beyond most members of the other races."

"I see," Daruk mumbled uncertainly.

"Don't worry," Rhoam chuckled, "I have been around longer than you, and I still don't really understand it. Though if you are curious you could always travel to their Domain."

"I think I'll stick with what I know."

"Fair enough," chuckled Rhoam. "Well, this should do. Let's return and see how the other two are faring."

* * *

Link wasn't sure what to do about Revali. The Rito had been intolerant and snide from the start, but since their meeting with the monk, Revali had been flat out hostile.

' _What did the monk say to him?'_

Link shrugged the thought off. It was none of his concern, and judging by Revali's foul mood afterward, asking him would only cause more problems. Link had spent the majority of the day rethinking his decision. He was sure he had made the right call, but it wasn't as simple as he would have liked. The only thing he managed to learn was that Revali didn't like it when he was silent, and liked it even less when he spoke.

' _Next time we are definitely bringing Urbosa,'_ he thought sullenly. Revali didn't seem to care for her much either, but at the very least the Rito tolerated Urbosa. Link on the other hand only seemed to get further on Revali's bad side. Daruk's words echoed through his mind: _'make yourself someone he can trust.'_ The words rang true but Link's efforts had been in vain. He sighed internally. If he could convince Revali to work with him then defeating Ganon should be a piece of cake.

Link looked up to the sky. Judging by the sun's position it was late noon. There was still a lot more ground to cover before they reached the last shrine. If the two were lucky they would reach the shrine before nightfall.

"Did I see that the rune can freeze objects in time?"

Link nodded. He didn't feel it necessary to correct Revali's assumption about the new ability. Rather than freezing objects in place, Stasis froze the objects in time. What he found particularly interesting was that the frozen objects would store any energy used on them as Kinetic energy.

"I don't know why you would trust the old coot with that kind of power, but I suppose you're just a child after all. You probably just didn't think it through."

"I didn't think it would be able to do something like that."

"Do you think at all? Probably not."

"Would you like to try it out?"

"I think I'll leave playing with toys to you," Revali snorted.

Link shrugged as he stood up.

"Done lazing around? Good." Revali finished, stretching his wings as he marched onwards. Link waited a moment before following, remaining a sizable distance behind Revali.

* * *

"Well, I see that Daruk wasn't exaggerating when he said you were skilled."

"Thank you," Mipha said quietly, as she removed the head of her lance from a deceased bokoblin.

"I see now why you are the favorite. Not only can you heal, but they can hide behind you and your lance if there is trouble."

"I'm not really sure I am- "

"Oh please. Link and Daruk are already fawning over you. I expect that Revali won't be far behind."

Mipha gasped quietly as her face was once again colored by a deep crimson. Urbosa's laughter filled the small clearing they were in.

"I-I'm glad that you are feeling better," Mipha stuttered as she attempted to recover from the most recent of Urbosa's jabs.

"Hmm?"

"Since Rhoam changed his demands, you've been acting colder. Less like yourself."

"I'm sorry about that," Urbosa sighed. "I've been unsettled since we learned his name. That along with his failure to honor his word has had me on edge."

Mipha nodded.

"I must admit that I am surprised. You may be the only person in our entire group who likes to be teased. If you'd like I can continue. After all, there was a date yesterday that I stayed quiet about."

"I-I don't think that will be necessary," Mipha replied quickly.

"I know. That's why I stayed quiet about it."

"Thank you," Mipha said quietly.

"For what? Having some class? Mipha, you misjudge me. I'm not a heartless tease. Just next to heartless."

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- "

Urbosa laughed over the rest of Mipha's hasty apology.

"Don't apologize," Urbosa managed to get out, "you just make it too easy sometimes."

"I'm sorry."

"We really need to work on that," Urbosa sighed. "I can't have you making me feel bad after every time I prod you a bit."

Mipha was silent for a moment.

"If you aren't careful, I may forget to heal you next time," she replied, a small smile crossing her lips as Urbosa grinned.

"First it was Daruk, now you. If I'm not careful, I may have quite a battle to maintain my throne."

"Yes, tread very carefully," Mipha giggled, wincing as Urbosa clapped her on the back. Soon though, it died down as Mipha again looked around uneasily.

"Something wrong?"

"I don't know," she replied helplessly. "I am probably just overreacting."

Urbosa studied her for a moment. "Trust your instincts. Better to look the fool, but have been ready than to be the fool who wasn't."

Mipha nodded.

"I wish your boyfriend left his pouch here. We may have been able to carry more."

Mipha opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, trying in vain to find words. Urbosa laughed heartily at this.

"It looks like it will be awhile before I have to worry about you trying to usurp me. Now then, I think we have all that we'll be able to carry. We should go meet up with the others."

"Urbosa?"

"Hmm?"

"I like you better this way." Mipha didn't wait for a response as she began making her way back towards Rhoam's cottage.

' _Me too,'_ she thought as she smiled after her companion. _'Me too.'_

* * *

"So, on nights like this, monsters who have died come back?" Urbosa's voice was carefully controlled. It was impossible for Mipha to discern what was going through the Gerudo's head.

"Indeed," Rhoam nodded. "I am sorry I wasn't more forthcoming before. I believed you would be more focused on what needed to be done if you were not distracted by what we were preparing for. After midnight, only those who were recently killed will maintain life. The rest will return to the grave."

Even though only a handful of monsters would truly regain life, the idea alone horrified her more than she cared to admit. She felt her stomach drop, as though somehow the ground had disappeared beneath her. _'What about Link and Revali? They don't know what's about to happen.'_

"We need to get to Link and Revali," Mipha exclaimed.

"We can't," sighed Daruk. "There isn't any way that you and I can get up there. Even if Urbosa could reach the top in time, there is no way she could reach them before nightfall."

"Is there no way we can let them know of the danger," Mipha asked desperately.

"Is there," Urbosa asked, turning to Rhoam.

"I am assuming that you believe that I possess some knowledge of the Slate that will allow us to reach out to the others somehow."

"Yes," Urbosa replied shortly.

"Unfortunately, I do not know of any such function. I possess a rather limited knowledge of the Slate's abilities."

"Is that so," asked Urbosa as her voice gained a dangerous quality.

"It is. If I could contact your friends, I would have done so earlier."

"How do we- "

"Urbosa," Mipha interjected quietly. Urbosa stopped and turned towards her. "I am as worried as you are, but it seems that the most we can do for them is take care of ourselves."

Urbosa's hand once again found her temple.

"It's like you said yesterday," Daruk continued for Mipha. "We gotta have some faith in them."

"If it is any consolation, I believe that the voice that you all have been hearing will warn them."

Urbosa analyzed Rhoam for a long time before she spoke.

"Link was right, wasn't he? You do know who she is."

"Indeed," the old man replied quietly.

"We'll worry about how later." Daruk's tone gave a sense of finality on the subject. He turned to Rhoam. "What's the plan?"

"There is a cave not far from here. With your strength, Daruk, we should be able to block the entrance with a stone. Be warned though, there will be monsters in the cave. So long as the blood moon remains, they will not stay dead. Destroying their skulls will buy us time, but nothing more."

"How did you survive such nights alone," Mipha asked. She had a theory, but she had to admit it was farfetched.

"They don't seem too interested in me," Rhoam chuckled. "I suppose that us old men just don't taste as good as you youngins."

That didn't sound right at all to the Zora, and she guessed that the others agreed based on the looks they were giving Rhoam.

"Are you a spirit," Mipha asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Mipha now isn't- "Mipha was aware of Urbosa silencing Daruk, but she maintained her gaze.

"I see that even though you don't have a memory to your name, you are still as brilliant as ever. You may even rival my own daughter." Rhoam chuckled as he began walking into the forest.

* * *

' _I_ _would rather be doing this with that scarlet haired ibis than this pathetic excuse of a warrior.'_ Revali let out a frustrated groan as he flew through the twilit sky. He had finally had enough of the silent trek and took to the skies to get away from the Hylian. He could have reached the shrine in a fraction of the time had Link not insisted on coming along. _'Dinsake, I could have gotten to both of the shrines and been on my way back by now.'_

Revali looked to the west. Something wasn't right. There was too much red in the sky. The moon was beginning to rise, but rather than giving off its usual soft, white glow, it was sending a harsh red glare over the landscape.

"Revali…" The Voice was calling to him again. This time she spoke with urgency. "Be on your guard. Ganon's power peaks under the blood moon. Under its light, monsters who have met their end rise once again to tear at the light. Please be careful Revali…"

He looked down to see Link sprinting towards the shrine. The ground was shifting all around the Hylian as he desperately tried to cover as much ground as possible. Revali dove down, flying just above him.

"What's happening," shouted Revali.

"Fly higher," cried Link.

Revali started a loud retort when he heard a whizzing sound behind him. He pulled to the left as an arrow streaked past him.

' _Dinsake! Maybe he's right,'_ he thought. He looked over his shoulder to see a horde of skeletal beings crawling out of the ground to pursue them both. He saw clubs, spears, and bows. All the weapons that they carried were made from their very bodies. Revali pulled out his bow. _'Hmph,'_ he thought with some satisfaction as another arrow ripped through the air next to him, _'this is my chance to show the boy his place.'_

Revali was nocking one of his arrows when he felt something tear through his right wing. He fought to stay airborne, but the most he could do was slow his fall. The wind was knocked out of him as he crashed painfully into the ground, winding him. He tried to make it to his feet, but he was still reeling from the collision. He looked up and saw one of the creatures standing above him. It raised its club into the air. Revali watched as the club began to fall. He refused to close his eyes or look away from the falling weapon.

The creature froze mid-swing. A second later, a sword cut through the creature's spine, just under its ribs. The top half of the monster toppled to the ground revealing a battered Link behind it with Slate and sword in hand. The Hylian stomped on the creature's skull. Revali's face went slack as bone fragments began pulling themselves together, attempting to rebuild the creature that had been.

He felt himself being pulled up. Link threw his injured wing over his shoulder, supporting the majority of both of their weight.

"Swing this," Link grunted as he shoved the hilt of his sword into Revali's free wing.

"What about you? If they took me down, you won't last a second without a weapon." Link reached behind him and pulled out a spare sword. For once, Revali was surprised to find that he was grateful for Rhoam's intervention.

Together they struggled forward, swinging their swords wildly at anything that got close. The weapon felt cumbersome and unfamiliar in his winged hand, but he was far more concerned about the animated remains attempting to catch him.

The two drew close to the shrine. Revali had managed to start running without aid as arrows rained down around them. As they came upon the base of the shrine, Link stumbled forward. Revali looked back to find an arrow protruding from his leg. Revali leapt towards the Hylian as he lost his balance.

"NO YOU DON'T," Revali yelled angrily as he caught the Hylian. "DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ME SIT THROUGH ANOTHER ONE HIS LECTURES!"

Link looked up at him and grinned. The Rito adjusted his grip on the Hylian just enough to get him the last couple of feet to the pedestal that opened the way into the shrine.

"Quickly, activate it," Revali grunted. He stepped away and swung the sword at yet another skeleton. His arm was deadened, and the swing was sloppy, but it was enough to do the job. He attempted another swing, but something grabbed him from behind and dragged him onto the shrine's platform. It began its descent deep under the earth. Revali felt unsteady as the world around him grew dark.

* * *

"COME ON," roared Daruk as the skeletal remains of another Bokoblin charged him.

"I know you get excited Big Guy, but is that really necessary," Urbosa asked as she watched him crush his attacker beyond recognition.

"It helps me stay pumped," Daruk smiled widely as he pumped his fist in the air.

"Loud battle cries are said to have a demoralizing effect on the battlefield," Rhoam offered from where he sat. He had chosen a spot next to one of the three fires he had hastily built as they had entered the cave. As he had said earlier, the monsters hadn't paid him any mind since clawing their way back to the surface.

"Ah yes. I forgot that an army of the undead has the exact same fears as an army of the living. A very loud Goron," she replied.

"I see that you are still as dry as the desert you hail from," Rhoam laughed. "Though I think you should know that Daruk's roars were said to reinvigorate his allies, and put the fear of the goddess into his enemies."

"Daruk."

"Yeah?"

"Shout louder next time." Everyone laughed for the first time in the several hours since the blood moon had begun to rise.

Urbosa looked down to see another skull attempting to reform. She watched it for a moment and noticed that the speed at which the bones were pulling themselves back together had slowed considerably. She stomped on it again.

"We should have no more than a few minutes left," Rhoam commented.

"Thank goodness," Mipha said as she brought the butt of her lance down on another pile of bones.

They continued smashing skulls for several more minutes. Eventually, they all stared in a shocked silence as the bones worked their way back underground. In a couple of seconds, the spacious cave held no signs of the monsters that had been attacking them.

"Can we go back outside," Daruk asked.

"That would be inadvisable," replied Rhoam. "You all are ready to drop. It would be far better for you to rest now, while you can. I have a feeling that Link and Revali will need help, especially yours, Lady Mipha."

"Lady Mipha? I don't think such formalities are needed Rhoam." Mipha was quick to try and correct him.

"The circumstances of your birth require certain formalities to be observed," Rhoam replied patiently.

"So, I was right," Urbosa cut in, "she is a noble."

"Noble is one word," Rhoam replied. "Another, more accurate word would be princess."

' _I'm a princess?'_ Mipha's eyes glazed over slightly as she attempted to process the newest tidbit of information. She would have found it next to impossible to believe if something about it hadn't struck a chord in her heart.

"Oh dear. I've been teasing a princess. I hope that isn't an offense worthy of execution." Urbosa's tone sounded of anything but concern.

"You might want to be careful, Urbosa," Daruk murmured seriously.

"I would say so. There is a reason they say the quiet ones are the most fearsome when angered," Rhoam added gravely.

"I would never." Mipha spoke with a conviction that her comrades hadn't yet heard.

Her three companions broke down into hysterics.

"We know," Urbosa gasped out between fits of laughter. It took Mipha a minute to realize that the others had been 'pulling her leg' as Rhoam would have phrased it. Despite being the punchline of the joke, Mipha joined in with the others.

"Ah. This has been wonderful," Rhoam sighed contentedly as he wiped a tear from his eye. "It has been too long since I have laughed so hard. Nothing is better for the soul than moments such as this."

"That we can agree on," Urbosa replied. For once she showed no traces of hostility towards him.

"Now then, I believe tomorrow will be a long day. You all should get some sleep. I will keep an eye on things."

Mipha nodded to him and did her best to find a comfortable position on the cave floor. The ground beneath her was uneven and rigid. It was nearly impossible to find a comfortable position on the cave floor. She had guessed that the discomfort caused by the cave floor and the night's events would keep her up late into the night.

She was wrong.

* * *

The first thing Revali was aware of was the pain in his right wing.

' _Wingshreds,'_ Revali groaned internally. _'What happened?'_ The events of the previous night hit him like a pat on the back from Daruk. He cracked open his eyes to find himself sitting against a wall of the last shrine. There was a shallow pool of water not far from him with a pillar of ice sitting up against a ledge that led further into the trial. Not far away was the pedestal that should contain the last rune. He could see that it had already been activated.

He looked to his right to find his wing tightly bound with cloth. He set his head back against the wall.

' _I can't draw a bow with this, let alone fly,'_ he thought glumly. He checked the rest of his body. He was covered with small cuts and bruises, but nothing that needed to be worried about. He looked around the room he was in.

' _Ah, there he is.'_ Link was off to Revali's left. He lay curled up, facing away from his partner. Revali watched his chest rise and fall slowly. _'Still sleeping? We have places to be."_

"Wake up," he snapped. Link started and looked around wildly for a moment. He shook himself awake and looked to Revali. He moved over and made to grab the Rito's injured wing. Revali pulled back as much as he could. Link stopped and stared Revali in the eye.

"I need to check your bandage."

"Fine," Revali grumbled, but he didn't wipe the glare from his face. Link knelt and unwrapped the bandage. He frowned at what he saw. Revali flicked his eyes down to his injury. It was a mottled purple and had started bleeding when Link had removed the fabric.

"We need to get you to Mipha quickly," he muttered. "Go wash the wound out over there, while I make new bandages."

Revali chose not to argue. He had a feeling that the alternative would be Link dragging him over to the pool and cleaning it for him. The mental image was enough to make the arrogant Rito more agreeable than he normally would be. He gingerly set his wing into the water, and with a sharp intake of air, began scrubbing it tenderly. When he was finished washing away the blood and what he could only assume was some sort of paste, he returned to Link.

Link had been ripping up what was left of a tunic into long strips and tied them together to further increase their length. He glanced up at Revali and motioned for the Rito's wing. He reached down by his side and dipped his fingers into a container at his side. He then spread the contents, a yellowish paste onto Revali's wound.

"What is that," Revali asked through a gritted beak. Whatever it was that Link was applying stung horribly.

"A medicinal paste made from Hyrule herbs." He said nothing more as he picked up a bandage and began binding the wing tightly. It took everything Revali had to not groan as the Hylian completed his task.

Link then turned his attention to his own wound. He gave it the same attention that Revali's had received. His task completed, he returned to his feet.

"Let's get moving," he said shortly.

"And who decided that you were the one giving orders," Revali snapped.

"I think that an artery in your wing may have been scratched. Your bindings should stem the blood flow, but if we don't get you to Mipha soon, there is a good chance you will bleed out." Link's response was curt and unfeeling. He turned towards the platform leading out of the shrine and began walking smoothly despite the hole in his leg.

Revali let out a deep breath before he began making his way towards the exit.

* * *

Urbosa and Mipha stood silently as they stared up the cliff.

' _Where are they?'_ Urbosa was becoming exasperated. Several hours had passed since they arrived where they had first parted, and still the Hylian and Rito had not appeared. Urbosa knew that neither could be dead. They were both just too stubborn for that, but that didn't mean they weren't in serious trouble.

Next, to her, Mipha appeared transfixed as she waited for any sign of their wayward companions.

"I'm going up there," Urbosa said.

"Wait," Mipha replied quickly, "look."

Link and Revali stood at the top of the cliff looking down at them. Link looked to be nearly wearing Revali as the Rito clung to him, trying to remain somewhat upright. Link looked down at them and motioned for them to move back.

"What is he thinking," Mipha questioned.

Urbosa's eyes widened as a large black rock was lowered down in front of them. She looked up quickly to see a black, metallic object falling towards them. She lunged forward quickly and caught it before it collided with the ground. It was the Sheikah Slate.

"I think he means for us to use it to get them down."

"Right," Urbosa muttered. "I'll bring them down, you get ready. Revali looks like he is going to need you to heal him as soon as he gets down here.

Urbosa activated Magnesis and lifted the stone. She raised it back up to Link and Revali's height. The swordsman carefully positioned himself and the inured Rito on the stone. She gave them a couple of seconds to make sure they were secure. Then, she carefully tapped the controls on the Slate's face to lower the stone slowly.

They were about halfway down when Revali slipped from his place. Had Link not maintained his grip on the Rito, then Revali would have fallen the rest of the way down. Urbosa heard Mipha's breathing begin escalating as the Rito hung limply from Link's hand, but she didn't let up. If she didn't control the situation as much as she could, then it was likely that they would lose one or two among their number. So, Urbosa dialed the controls just a little further, causing the descent to speed up slowly.

Link managed to hold onto Revali until they reached the ground. Urbosa and Mipha rushed forward and gently lowered him to the ground. Mipha quickly unwrapped the blood-soaked bandage. Her hand glowed with a blue light as she held her hand over his wing. Urbosa turned back and helped Link climb down.

"We need to get him to Rhoam's cottage," Mipha said. "Then, I need to gather materials for an elixir."

Link nodded and moved to pick up Revali.

"No," Urbosa commanded. "I will carry him back. You will sit here until Mipha has tended to you as well. This is not up for debate," she continued, raising her voice over Link's protests. She picked up Revali and made her way to the log. "I'm going to let Daruk know that if he sees you coming across before that leg of yours is looked at, he is to knock you across this Plateau and back." With that, she began her crossing back to Daruk.

* * *

Daruk sat close to the fire as Link was making supper for the others. He watched Link take meat and some strange fruit he had found on top of the Plateau and toss them into his cooking pot.

"Revali, you still need rest. Please don't try to get up," came a soft, yet firm voice from behind them. Daruk turned around to find Mipha with a hand on Revali's chest, preventing him from getting up.

"I'm fine," was his strained reply.

"Revali, don't make me sit on you," Daruk chimed in.

He couldn't make out Revali's mumbled answer, but Mipha removed her hand, and the Rito made no attempts to get up.

He heard a rustling beside him. He turned to find Urbosa sitting next to him.

"Where've you been?"

"I owed someone an apology," she murmured as she stared into the fire.

"Rhoam?"

"Yes. I also told him we would wait until tomorrow to discuss what he knows. He offered to do it tonight, but I figured you would rather wait."

"Hmm," was Daruk's thoughtful reply.

"What? Was I wrong?"

"No. I think we're beginning to rub off on each other. You decided to wait patiently for the answers that you've been demanding since meeting Rhoam, and I just threatened to sit on Revali if he tries to get up again."

"I knew you had it in you," Urbosa congratulated.

"I think I would rather leave those things to you."

"Please do. That's more fun for me."

Daruk laughed ruefully as he shook his head.

"How is Feathers?"

"According to Mipha, he should be recovered enough to at least get moving by tomorrow."

"That soon?"

"She gave him an elixir that does… something."

"Stimulates blood production," Link supplied, not looking up from the pot.

"What?" Daruk was completely lost.

"It'll help replace the blood he lost," Link clarified.

"Oh, that makes more sense."

Link nodded and announced that their meal was ready. Mipha helped prop Revali up so that he could eat with the rest of them. As they sat around and ate, they exchanged stories of the previous day. Link laughed as he listened to Rhoam recount the banter that had occurred in the cave. Daruk, Mipha, and Urbosa listened with rapt attention as Link told (with some help) of what he and Revali had to fight through. Daruk didn't feel the need to chastise Link for his completion of the Crynosis trial in spite of his injury. He had noticed that as Link was crossing the makeshift bridge he had been wearing a demure expression. That combined with how long it had taken for them to begin their crossing gave Daruk a pretty good idea of what had happened between the Hylian and the Zora on the other end.

"Now then," started Rhoam after the meal was finished. "Tomorrow, I will give you the three paragliders as promised and tell you all I can. For now, replenish your strength. The days ahead will be long and arduous. Revali," he continued as he looked at the Rito, "you are more than welcome to rest on my bed."

"He will," Mipha answered for him.

"I can still talk you know," Revali grumbled.

"Feathers… just be quiet," Urbosa sighed.

Daruk chuckled. He then rolled up and closed his eyes as Mipha assisted Revali into the cottage. He knew they still had a long way to go before they were ready to fight Ganon, but he thought it was best to celebrate whatever victories he could. Even if it was only celebrated in the confines of his mind.

' _We did it. We're gonna get off this Plateau,'_ he thought triumphantly. Content with what he and his team had accomplished, he drifted off as the fire continued to burn next to him.

* * *

Upon waking, Link had discovered a note from Rhoam requesting that the five of them meet him at the Temple of Time. He made a quick breakfast for himself and the others. He finished just as Revali walked slowly out of the cottage.

"You okay," Link asked.

"Fine," Revali muttered back shortly. He took a deep breath before he opened his beak to continue "Mipha told me that if you hadn't tightened my bandage as you had, and not gotten me back as quickly as you did, then I would be dead right now." He seemed to struggle to get the next words out, "So thanks."

Link met his eyes and nodded. "Thank you too. If you hadn't been there I probably wouldn't have made it to the shrine."

Revali nodded but said nothing more as he sat near the fire and gazed into it. The silence remained until the others woke up. For once though, the air between the Hylian and the Rito wasn't uncongenial.

After the group had eaten, and Mipha had forced another elixir down Revali's throat, the group made their way slowly towards the Temple. The journey was devoid of the usual banter, as each turned over in their heads what little they had gleaned, and tried to brace themselves for what Rhoam would reveal.

Inside the cathedral was an enormous room empty save for a giant statue of the goddess, Hylia, at the front. As the group drew closer to the statue, they saw five chests at the statue's feet.

"I see you got my note," came Rhoam's voice from behind them.

They whirled around to find the old Man behind them.

"It's time for some answers," Urbosa said curtly.

"I believe it is, but first I think a proper introduction is in order."

"We already know your name," Revali reminded him.

"You know only part of it." Rhoam was engulfed in an ethereal light. When Link could make him out again, the change astounded him. Rhoam's dark-colored rags had been replaced by a dark blue coat with gold accents, a white undershirt, and white pants. On his head sat a golden crown with wings spread to the sides. There was a green, otherworldly glow around him. "My name is Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule… the last king of Hyrule."

Link felt rather than saw his companions all try to break in to ask questions, but Rhoam silenced them with a raised hand and stern look.

"I know you have many questions, but please let me speak first." Rhoam closed his eyes before he continued, "stories of the Great Calamity have been told since ancient times. Stories of four warriors piloting giant mechanical beasts, of a chosen knight wielding the mythical blade of evil's bane, and a princess born with the power to seal the darkness."

"One hundred years ago a prophecy was given. 'The return of the Great Calamity is upon us. To defeat him, seek relics hidden in the earth below.'" Rhoam opened his eyes and took the five of them in. "I did not want to believe it was true, but I was unwilling to risk the safety of my people. We began excavations at various sites across Hyrule. At these sites, we discovered the guardians, mechanical warriors who fought autonomously, and the Divine beasts, the giant mechanical beings piloted by warriors in the legends. We prepared the guardians for battle, and pilots were selected by the Divine Beasts themselves," Rhoam paused for a moment.

"The Goddess' sealing power lay dormant in my very own daughter, Princess Zelda. At her side was a knight who was renowned for his skill and courage. We called Zelda, her knight, and the four pilots champions in the hopes that such a name would forge a unique bond between them. With our champions chosen, we believed that we would be victorious in the coming battle. But we were horribly wrong." Rhoam opened his eyes to take in the group before him.

"Ganon responded with a plan that none could have foreseen. When he burst forth from the castle he launched an attack on the guardians and the Divine Beasts, turning them against us. Under the physical strain of fighting the newly turned guardians, and the mental strain of trying to repel Ganon, the four pilots fell before they even made it to the foot of the castle. Seeking to protect my daughter, her Knight ordered a retreat, commanding some of his men to see the four fallen champions to the Shrine of Resurrection. The Knight then took Zelda far away from the castle, and Ganon. However, they were ambushed before they made it to safety. On that battlefield, the Knight was gravely wounded as he shielded my Zelda from harm with his very body." Rhoam sighed. The sound was full of sorrow as he held their gaze.

"With one fell swoop, Ganon had defeated five of the champions. My daughter ordered her brave Knight be placed with his brothers and sisters in arms, then went to fight Ganon alone. Using her power, she trapped him in Hyrule castle, and remains there to this day, holding him back."

"Daruk, Urbosa, Mipha, Revali," Rhoam focused his attention on each one as he called their name. "You were the four pilots who fell that day. And Link," Rhoam said as he shifted his gaze to the young man, "you were the courageous knight who protected my daughter right up to the end. You have my gratitude for protecting her so diligently," Rhoam said as he inclined his head respectfully to Link. "The words of guidance you have been hearing since your awakening have come from Zelda herself. Even now she calls out to you as her power fades."

"On that day, I lost my life. I was far from ready to give up, though. unfortunately, there was little I could do, so here I have remained for one hundred years, as a spirit. I knew that one day, the five of you would awaken. I felt it would be better to assess your mental state before I revealed myself to you. Forgive me for not doing so sooner," he pled as he bowed his head.

"So, we are the champions meant to destroy the Calamity," Urbosa asked.

Rhoam nodded.

"We should get moving then. What do you suggest we do next," Daruk asked.

"It would be unwise for you to head directly for the castle," Rhoam replied. "I suggest you make your way to Kakariko village. There you will find the elder Impa. She will be able to tell you more." Rhoam closed his eyes as his tone became apologetic. "I know it is a lot for me to ask this of you, after all, I am merely an old fool who couldn't protect his kingdom, but please save my daughter. Save Zelda."

None of the champions spoke, but Link felt them all nod as one with him.

* * *

Mipha stood with the others as they looked down from the top of the Great Plateau. She heard Urbosa and Daruk speaking, but she wasn't listening.

_She stared at Rhoam dumbfounded. He was asking her for one last favor._

" _I need you to do something for me when you reach your home. Tell your father he was right. Had I listened to him, then perhaps this entire tragedy may have been avoided."_

" _I," she paused. She wasn't sure what he was on about, but in her heart, she felt it would be wrong to refuse him this. "I will."_

" _Thank you," Rhoam smiled as his form dissipated from view._

"Okay, Champions," Daruk's voice rang, "it's time we got off this poor excuse of a mountain."

With that, he rolled off the edge as he had the top of the tower, followed by Revali.

"I'm still not sure I like that," Urbosa sighed. "I guess that's our cue." She jumped off the side with her newly acquired paraglider in hand. Mipha watched with fascination as the paraglider caught the air causing the red-haired woman to glide down gently towards the land below. Mipha and Link looked at each other. The Hylian shrugged at her and took a running leap off with his own paraglider.

' _I guess it's my turn now.'_ She followed her companions, sending a silent prayer that her fellow champions would land safely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the fact that I spent way too much time editing the first chapter, only to discover that there is an infinitely easier way to do this. I guess I did kill some time. Anyway, Imma go drink Bleach now.


	5. A New Companion

"I'll leave in the morning," Revali said.

Link tuned out the rest of the conversation as he looked over his shoulder. The wolf was still there. The midnight blue coat and yellow eyes retreated behind the cover of foliage. He and Mipha had come across the animal on a brief scavenging foray. Her leg had been caught under a stone that had crushed her limb beyond all usability. He had had to hold her down as he freed her leg. She had bitten down on his arm and nearly broken it while Mipha healed her. As soon as Link released the animal, she bounded away from them.

Link had been sure that that was the last time he would see the wolf. However, he had caught sight of her that same night slinking around the camp. Link had approached her after the others had gone to sleep. Her hackles had been raised, and she growled at him. That hadn't continued long after he had held a steak out to her, she had even let him pet her a little. After she had finished her meal she had quickly left, leaving the young swordsman alone. Since then the wolf had been following them.

Revali hadn't been pleased by the prospect of the "throat ripping beast" keeping in their company. He was so displeased that he had attempted to shoot the animal when he first saw it. Link had protested, and a fight had ensued between the two, forcing Daruk to intervene.

Link felt bad that he had upset Daruk by erasing all the progress he had made with Revali. The two hadn't been amicable, but they had at least been able to speak to each other without scathing comments being thrown around. Now though, the Rito was back to constantly trying to beat him down. Urbosa and Daruk had gotten so tired of the constant bickering that they had suggested that Revali fly ahead to the Sheikah tower that was just visible in the distance. The Rito champion had readily agreed to the proposition.

The young Hylian walked over to an overturned wagon and sat on the decaying wood. Many such carts were found among the ruins of the East Post. Rusted weapons and shields littered the broken road that ran through the center of the ruins. What had surprised the group the most upon discovering the compound was the state of the buildings. Unlike the Eastern Abbey, the majority of them were left intact even as moss and lichen clung to the masonry. Among the ruins were where Daruk had decided they would take shelter from the impending rain, at least for the night.

"Link, are you alright?" He looked up to find Mipha standing in front of him. She sat down next to him.

He sent her a questioning look.

"You have been quieter lately. I know that you prefer to be quiet, but you have been near silent these past few days. I'm worried about you."

"I'm okay," he murmured.

"You're a poor liar," she replied.

Link didn't say anything else. He merely sat there staring at his hands.

"I hope you know that if you ever need to talk, I am more than willing to listen."

Link didn't look at her. He was worried that the shame that had been weighing him down would show on his face. He had failed his friends, his princess, and his kingdom. He left them all to suffer while he had been trapped in an endless sleep for a hundred years. The worst part was he still didn't remember how. He was torn between guilt and the fear of failing again.

"She likes you quite a lot," Mipha remarked.

Link responded with a bewildered look.

"The wolf, I mean. She has been following you around since you helped her."

"You helped her too."

"Maybe, but she doesn't pay as much attention to me."

Link smiled but said nothing.

"Do you suppose we should name her?" Mipha smiled at him as she continued, "she doesn't seem to be going anywhere, and I feel awkward calling her wolf."

"Maybe," Link replied quietly.

"We aren't naming that thing," Revali stated as he approached them. "We name it, then we become attached, then all of a sudden we're 'family.'"

"Maybe Lulu," Mipha suggested.

"No!"

"I have to agree with Feathers," Urbosa chimed in as she and Daruk joined them. "Maybe Aveil"

"We are not naming it," the Rito yelled at the same time that Link vigorously shook his head.

"You got anything, Big Guy."

"For the love of- "

"I got nothing," Daruk replied.

Link held back a chuckle as Revali only got more irritated at being ignored.

"Maybe… Ilia," Link finally suggested.

"Still not quite right," Urbosa muttered.

"May as well call it Wolf Link," Revali grumbled. "What," he asked as the other four champions gave him a withering look.

"You didn't even try," Daruk sighed.

"Well, she's about as good looking as he is."

"Which is still more attractive than you, Feathers."

"I think we'll wait to finish this till later," Daruk said.

"And why is that," Urbosa questioned.

"Because we stopped debating names and we need to make a plan."

"Perhaps Saria." Mipha seemed to be unaware of the end of the discussion.

Link thought for a moment before shaking his head. He liked the name, but just like with all the rest, it just wasn't quite right.

"Later," Daruk reminded. "Are you going to make dinner again, Little Guy?"

He nodded but didn't get up. Daruk motioned for Urbosa and Revali to follow him.

He felt Mipha's eyes on him, giving him one last searching glance. He refused to make eye contact, choosing instead to pick up a stray piece of straw and began fiddling with it. She stood after a couple of minutes and moved back towards the others, shooting him one last glance over her shoulder.

Link sighed and leaned back to look at the sky. It was dreary up above as clouds cast the world in a drab, grey light. Link found that it fit his mood perfectly.

' _I can't sit and mope.'_ He stood up and cast a quick glance around his surroundings. The she-wolf was still off a little way, watching him. Link stared at her for a moment. Over the past days, she had steadily decreased the distance between herself and the group. Now she sat a couple yards away and made no move to take cover as Link observed her. He shrugged and turned to join the others.

* * *

_One_ _arm was stretched behind him as his hand firmly gripped the Princess' own. The other held a red form tightly against his chest. Men surrounded him as they ran through a destroyed field as explosions rained down around them. They reached their destination, the East post. What remained of the soldiers quickly filed in and shut the door. They had little to no time before they would be on the run again. They needed a plan, desperately._

"Captain Link!" Link looked to his friend and second in command, Owen. "We managed to get the other Champions, but they're in bad shape. What do we do?"

"Take the men you need and get them to the Shrine of Resurrection," an authoritative voice commanded. "Captain," Link straightened as he was called, "you will get her Highness to Kakariko village." Link clenched his jaw so hard that a part of him worried that his teeth would snap under the pressure. General Viscen didn't seem to take notice as he continued issuing commands. "The rest of you, we are going to buy them as much time as we can. Ready yourselves."

Viscen motioned for Link to follow him as he moved through the bustling knights to a relatively isolated corner. He had yet to release his hold on Mipha and the Princess as he navigated through his men. Viscen showed a rare look of concern as Link caught up to him.

"I know you aren't happy about this," Viscen started, "but I need you to understand- "

"Orders are-"

"Quiet! There is something I need you to hear, and there isn't time for an argument."

Link looked away for a second, but quickly looked back and nodded for his superior officer to continue.

"If I know you the way I think I do, you will feel like a coward, like you are running away and leaving us to die. But here is what you need to know, every man in here knows that he is marching to his death, and that takes unimaginable bravery. Sometimes, though, it takes, even more courage to survive. To live to fight another day." Viscen gave him a hard look. "I expect that you have enough courage to do so."

Link didn't respond.

"I see," Viscen murmured. "You leave me no choice. This is my last order for you. Captain Link, you will survive this day. You will do whatever it takes to get her Highness, and yourself to safety. Do you understand?"

Link's jaw was beginning to hurt, but he gave his commanding officer a nod.

"Good, and one last thing." His commanding officer paused for a moment, "It's been an honor serving with you." Viscen saluted the young man standing in front of him. Link couldn't return the gesture, but he straightened in respect. It tore him apart that he couldn't do any more for the man that had such respect for.

Link turned away and desperately tried to find Owen. He saw the man for a brief moment at the other end of the room. Link struggled through the crowd, the tables, and benches. Finally reaching the man he was looking for, he got Owen's attention.

"Captain," Owen greeted with a nod.

Link nodded to him and motioned to the figure he held close to his chest.

Owen looked at him, then shifted his gaze to the champion Link held.

"I'll see her to the shrine myself," he said as he took the Zora into his own arms. That was something that Link had always appreciated about the man. He always seemed to know just what Link was trying to say.

"Can you get this to Zora's Domain," Link asked as he removed an ornate trident from his back. "Tell them I'm sorry…"

"I'll die trying if I have to."

Link nodded gratefully and turned away.

"And Captain," Link turned back to his friend, "make sure you grind that giant pig into the dust."

Link didn't respond, but Owen's smile grew larger.

"Strong and silent. Now I see why you get all the ladies."

Link frowned.

"Lighten up Captain." Owen's face grew serious. "Link… I'll keep her safe," he gave the Hylian Champion a comforting smile as he continued, "you just make sure that she has a world to wake up to."

"We don't have much time left," rang Viscen's voice. "If you are retreating, then do so quickly. The rest of you, get ready to hold those accursed machines back!" The soldiers shouted in response and moved even more frantically. Link felt the hand he was holding tighten its grip.

Zelda was looking at him. Unshed tears hung in her eyes as she opened her mouth.

"Link… I'm so- "

He cut her off with a shake of his head. She closed her mouth, but the sorrowful look didn't leave her face.

He gripped her hand tightly and led her to the door.

_They stepped out into an unfamiliar world. Thick, black clouds dominated the sky, and the only source of light seemed to be from the fires that were raging everywhere. He looked one last time at the castle, or what remained of it. He squeezed his charge's hand one last time and pulled out the sacred sword from his back. Then, they began to run. Link felt sick as he heard the explosions from guardians and the screams of dying men as he and Zelda ran for a nearby forest._

* * *

"Send him to scavenge supplies with Mipha."

Daruk nodded as he watched the Hylian in front of him keep moving. Daruk had awoken to find the young man cooking breakfast and cleaning up the camp, almost mechanically. He had attempted to speak to Link but was unsuccessful. The swordsman was unresponsive, almost as though he were trapped in his own world.

Urbosa had also voiced concern for him. Though she had been able to spot a change in his behavior as soon as she had opened her eyes. They had spent a good deal of time trying to convince Link to speak, but he offered no responses, verbal or otherwise.

"Mipha? You sure?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed."

"Just because they are comfortable around each other doesn't mean that they're 'madly in love.'"

"Big Guy… sometimes you worry me. It should be Mipha because he is comfortable with her. All the teasing is just to get Mipha worked up."

"Why?"

"Because it's hilarious, why else," she asked with a raised brow.

"Why Mipha? Why not Link?"

"Link is too dense. I swear you could slap him in the face with her feelings and he wouldn't even notice."

"Wait. You mean- "

"It must just be a male thing," Urbosa sighed as she threw her hands in the air.

"So Mipha really does- "

"It's either that or she has mastered the art of misdirection."

"Nah," said Daruk as he shook his head.

"Exactly," Urbosa replied. "Anyway, she is the best equipped to get him to open up."

"Well I guess that's -" he was cut off as the Gerudo hushed him quietly. She pointed straight ahead of them.

Link had drawn closer to Mipha. She spoke to him too quietly for either of them to hear. He said nothing in reply. Even so, Daruk could see a marked difference in Link's persona.

"Looks like you were right," he muttered quietly.

Urbosa nodded as she continued staring at the pair.

"Hey, Little Guy," Daruk called suddenly. He heard Urbosa hissing something at him, but he paid her no mind. "Me and Urbosa are going to go on ahead. Why don't you two try and find some supplies. Catch up when you're done."

Link and Mipha nodded. The Zora murmured something to him and led towards the river that ran beside the path they were on. Daruk tried to act casual like Urbosa as they passed, but he still felt like he was being seen through.

' _Maybe it's just Urbosa.'_

"Not bad. Maybe I should have a little more faith in you," started Urbosa after they had left the other two a ways behind them.

"I figured they would be better off without us floating around. Think they'll be okay?"

"Link seems to have his wits about him, even in his current state. Besides the wolf is still following those two around. I'm certain that she'll let them know somehow."

"Why is that thing still following us."

"I think she was probably abandoned by her pack," Urbosa replied as she set a hand on her hip. "She probably stays close as a method to stay alive."

"You think?"

"It's been nearly a week, and she is still trailing behind us. It's strange though," she continued with a thoughtful expression, "she keeps drawing closer every day."

"Maybe she wants to be one of us!"

"What gives you that idea?"

"I don't know," replied Daruk with a grin. "I don't really know anything other than that we have been asleep for a long time, and that the world needs savin."

"You sure are confident for someone who doesn't know much," Urbosa replied with a wry smile.

"Well, what's the alternative? Piling myself under a mountain?"

"Does it bother you," Urbosa asked quietly, losing her smile.

"Does what bother me?"

"Does it bother you that we are apparently the only ones who can fight this battle? We have no memories, no idea of what truly went wrong last time, and yet we are still expected to succeed."

"Guess I haven't really thought about it," Daruk replied with a frown. His smile quickly returned as he continued, "but the way I see it, there isn't any good in moping about the past. If we remember we'll learn. And if we don't remember, then we'll make it up as we go."

"Sometimes I wish I put as little thought into things as you," Urbosa replied with a grin.

"Why do I feel like that wasn't a compliment?"

The only response was a snicker from the Gerudo champion.

* * *

The wind whipped around him, tearing through his feathers as he soared up into the endless expanse of sky. He didn't remember ever feeling this liberated. He had spent the days since waking tethered to the others for the most part. Now though, he was able to fly as fast or as high as he pleased. He had taken a few hours to make it to the tower. He had even had time to stop and assist a couple of travelers to fight off some Bokoblins. They had rewarded him with a warm meal and a story of a past hero. Something to do with an ancient Princess of Twilight. He had been too busy choking on his thoughts to listen too closely.

Link's cold leftovers were better than this couple's freshly cooked meal. It was infuriating.

Revali scrutinized the land below him. The road below him led to the first landmark on their way to Kakariko village: The Dueling Peaks. The mountain had been split down the middle, leaving a pass straight through the center. Rhoam had instructed them to make their way northward after passing through the mountain.

He caught sight of a Goron and Gerudo talking to two Hylians. He dove down sharply towards the group. He pulled up quickly an instant before he hit the ground, causing the air to go blustering in all directions. The Hylians flinched and looked around until they spotted him. It was the same two he had helped earlier.

"Master Revali," they both cried.

"I see you've already met," Urbosa interjected.

"You know Master Revali," the man, Rosso, asked.

"Unfortunately, yes," Urbosa replied. "Now you were saying about the Guardians?"

"Oh yes," Rosso replied. "They have been getting more active lately, especially around Hyrule Field. I would avoid that entire area as much as possible."

"Thanks for the advice," Daruk replied.

"Anytime," Rosso smiled largely at the Goron. "Any friends of Master Revali our friends of ours."

Revali smirked at Urbosa as she rolled her eyes to the sky.

"What? Upset that they don't think so highly of you," Revali muttered to her, not losing his smirk.

"Ooh, you are a pretty thing," Irene, Rosso's wife, gushed to someone behind Revali.

"Oh… thank you," replied a familiar voice from behind Revali. He spun around to find Mipha, Link, and the blasted wolf approaching them. He felt a flash of irritation at the sight of the Hylian. In the chest that Rhoam had left for him was a Knight's uniform, along with a new sword and shield. Revali's had only contained simple Rito clothes and a Knight's bow. However, Revali was more concerned by the animal that was now walking at Link's side.

"Oh no," Revali started, "That thing is not- "

"You two wouldn't happen to have any ideas of a name for our newest companion, would you," Urbosa interrupted.

"We are not- "

"Now Feathers, that is no way to treat our new friend." Urbosa had retaken her mock motherly tone as she chastised the Rito. "Now then," she continued, turning back to Rosso and Irene, "did you have any names that would be appropriate."

The traveling couple looked between the Gerudo and the Rito, neither sure what they were supposed to do.

"I would appreciate it very much if you could give us any ideas you may have," Mipha said with a gracious smile.

Rosso and Irene looked at each other, looked back at Mipha, then returned their gaze to each other.

"Maybe," Rosso stopped to think, "what about Midna?"

"Midna," Link asked.

"Yep," Rosso responded with a satisfied nod. "She is a princess of legend who was said to have a fondness for wolves. It's speculated that she even had a pet wolf that fought at her side along with the Hero of Twilight."

"You must forgive my husband," Irene cut in quickly, "he has a strange fascination with ancient legends and- "

"I like it," Link said. The couple gave him a startled look.

"It is fitting, isn't it," Urbosa replied.

"I think so too," Daruk grinned.

"I like it as well," Mipha added.

"We are not- "

"We get it, Feathers."

"Sorry Revali, you've been outvoted." Daruk shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

"Fantastic," Revali grumbled, "does anyone have any beetles they want to welcome? Butterflies? Blades of grass?"

"Oh, stop pouting, Feathers. It doesn't suit you."

"Will you- "

"Enough," sighed Daruk as he scratched at his beard. "Is there anything else you can tell us."

"Yeah," Rosso responded. "It sounds like Zora's Domain is in a bit of trouble, but I am sure she can tell you more," he finished as he nodded towards Mipha.

"I'm sorry, but it has been a while since I have been home."

"Oh. The Domain has been suffering from rainfall for some time now. It's not unusual for it to rain constantly in that area, but at the rate, it's going the dam will break. It will wash away the domain and New Ordon at least."

"New Ordon," Link asked.

"Yeah. I guess the original town was wiped out over a hundred years ago. The Bolson building company took on rebuilding it, though," Irene answered.

"Ordon," murmured Mipha.

"Mean something to you," Daruk asked.

"I don't know…"

"Perhaps you were alive during that time," Rosso offered. "It was quite some time ago, but the Zora have long lives. And the village had a strong connection with the Domain."

"It was over a hundred years ago. It doesn't matter anymore," Revali snapped.

"I would disagree," started Rosso, "learning from the- "

"He's right." Everyone, including Rosso and Irene, was surprised that Link backed up the Rito. No one was more surprised than Revali though. His beak hung open, but nothing came out.

"We need to be on our way now," Daruk finally said, still giving Link a funny look. "Thanks again for all the info."

"Anytime," Replied the couple.

After they finished their goodbyes, Revali found himself next to Mipha. He was too engrossed trying to figure out why the Hylian had backed him to notice that the Zora was also focused on the young man.

* * *

"Urbosa, may I ask you something?"

Urbosa continued moving through the Dueling Peaks as she turned her gaze to the Zora that had moved beside her. She had noticed the smaller woman was orienting herself so that the Gerudo was always in sight since they had separated from the travelers earlier. Urbosa had finally decided that the Zora champion was seeking a private conversation and had fallen back behind the others to give her that opportunity. She had a feeling they were sharing the same concern.

"Is it about Link?"

"Yes," Mipha replied. "When Rosso mentioned Ordon village, I remembered something. I think Link was born in Ordon. I think he may have even survived its destruction," Mipha stopped.

"I assume there is more."

"The night before we met the two, Link had a dream that he believes is a memory of an event right after we failed to defeat Ganon. The reason he is off is that he feels guilty. He believes he abandoned everyone."

"So what are you asking?"

"Do I tell him that I think he was from Ordon, or do I keep it to myself? I don't want to hide something about himself, but I don't want to add to his grief unnecessarily."

Urbosa said nothing in reply for a long time. She noticed that Mipha had begun fidgeting beside her as she continued thinking.

"If it were me," the Gerudo finally responded, "I wouldn't tell him yet. If what you say is true, then he is working through something that he wasn't able to beforehand. However, you are not me. The relationship between the two of you is very different."

"I should tell him?"

"I have no idea what you should do," Urbosa replied. The Zora gave her a puzzled expression. "Remember what I told you that first night?"

"To have some faith in myself," Mipha said quietly.

"Correct. Whatever decision you make, I am certain it will be the right one. Now, pull your lance out and dive into the river."

"What?"

Urbosa sighed. It seemed that the only other one of their member that was constantly aware of their surroundings was Link. They all needed to be especially attentive since it was growing dark. Normally Daruk would have stopped them for the night. However, when Revali had returned with an updated map, Link had discovered a location called a stable. Daruk had decided that it was safer for them to try and reach the Stable, rather than camping again with no shelter. It would allow them all to get a full night's rest, assuming they were allowed to stay. It was looking like they would have to fight their way there.

"Look at Midna."

The wolf was hard to see, but she had stopped in her tracks with raised hackles.

"She- "

"Now look in the water."

Mipha saw what the Gerudo had noticed earlier on. Large silhouettes just below the surface were moving towards them. The Zora drew her lance wordlessly and leaped into the water.

Urbosa drew her scimitar and buckler and took a moment to look down at herself. It would be a shame to get her new pants and breastplate dirty.

' _I'll have to be careful,'_ she thought idly as she rushed the first monster that poked its head out from behind a rock.

* * *

Mipha was disgusted by the lizard-like beings that she found below the surface. She had witnessed one of them spit a glob of saliva at Revali as she dove in.

She gracefully maneuvered through the water, driving her lance through the closest Lizalfo. She pulled her lance free and darted to the second. The bipedal lizards could move through the water adequately, but they had no chance against a Zora. Mipha twisted around a clumsy strike and put her lance through the second monster. She looked for the final one, seeing it climbing on the shore. She broke the surface, leaping high into the air. She pointed her lance downward, allowing gravity and her body weight to drive through the Lizalfo as she landed atop it.

"Impressive, but it looks like the others need a hand," Urbosa grunted.

The Gerudo and Zora raced for the others. Mipha watched in horror as a lone, silver Bokoblin launched Link yards with a single swipe. Daruk roared and charged towards the monster. It spun around and swung its club at the Goron. The bat shattered, but Daruk stumbled and fell. As he tried to get back up, the creature picked up the Goron's Cobble Crusher and raised it above its head. Revali fired an arrow, and Midna clamped her jaw down on a silvery leg, but it didn't even stumble. Midna was dragged along as the leg she was attached took a step forward.

Mipha and Urbosa raced towards the Bokoblin as its club started to fall. Link lifted himself just enough to point the Slate at the attacker. The Bokoblin froze as Mipha and Urbosa leaped over Link.

"Urbosa, grab on," Mipha cried out.

The Gerudo champion sheathed her weapons and grabbed on to Mipha's lance. They reached the creature just as it began to move again. Urbosa and Mipha worked together to thrust her lance through its chest. The silver monster dropped the massive weapon and stared at its chest. The duo strained to raise the monster into the air over their heads and slammed it down on the ground behind them. Its head made a sickening crunch as it collided with the ground.

Mipha and Urbosa ripped the weapon free and took a step back as the rest of the monster collapsed. It was still for a moment, but then its arms and legs began moving as it tried to stand back up.

Midna suddenly crashed into the creature, biting its throat viciously. The wolf whipped her head back and forth as the creature flailed wildly. There was a snapping noise, and the monster went limp. Midna didn't release her hold, and Mipha, Urbosa, and Revali stood close by.

After several minutes had gone by, they relaxed and Midna released her hold on the corpse's throat. Mipha quickly turned her attention to her companions that had been hurt. Both were on their feet, only looking a little worse for wear.

"Are either of you hurt?"

"Only our pride," Daruk grumbled.

"What in Hylia's name was that," Revali asked sharply.

"That's a good question," Urbosa replied as she stared at the corpse.

"I think we should worry about that later. The Stable shouldn't be far; Let's move before anything else happens," Daruk sighed.

* * *

Midna had spent the days following her new pack watching and learning. The Big Chicken annoyed her most. It wasn't that he was hostile towards her. That was understandable. What frustrated her to no end was his constant nipping at the others. It affected the Pack's ability to work together.

It didn't take her long to see that the fire-haired one was the pack mother. She was always the one to yank the chicken back in line. Midna had also seen the deference the others gave her. While she didn't have as much sway as an Alpha, the others still gave the female a great deal of respect. Respect that Midna could see was earned.

The Alpha surprised her greatly. He was the largest and strongest by far, but he didn't throw it around. She could see the others challenge him, and he responded patiently and firmly. He would occasionally growl at the chicken, but he never strong-armed the bird. In the end, the others still, even Mother, fell into step behind him.

She called the river swimmer Sister. She had suspected that Sister was weak, but she had been wrong. Midna had witnessed what she could do with the long-handled metal tooth. That and her swimming ability made her dangerous. She also had a strange power. That power had fixed the foot that had been trapped beneath a stone when her former pack had been ambushed. She owed Sister her life, but she was still at odds with her. Sister had a strange habit of balking when confronted rather than standing her ground.

The Blue-eyed one, the one she called Brother, was her favorite. He was quiet and strong. He had held her still while he freed her leg. He barely made a sound when she had attacked him. His lack of visible weakness would have earned him an esteemed place in her old pack. He may have even been her alpha. But he wasn't in charge, and from what she could tell, he didn't have the desire to displace Alpha.

She padded along beside Brother as they entered a wooden structure. There were more two-legs, and every single one of them sent her a fearful glance. She saw them tense up, ready to pounce on her should the opportunity arise. One of them walked up to Brother and began shouting at him in their strange language. The big Chicken stepped up to the man, glaring at him. He began to hiss something in reply.

She wished she could understand what was happening between the two.

* * *

"She stays with us," Revali repeated slowly and forcefully, staring down his beak at the stable head.

The man opened his mouth to say something, but Link quickly stepped forward and slipped a red jewel into the man's hand. He gave the red rupee in his hand a shocked stare, then returned his gaze to the group.

"Welcome to the Dueling Peaks Stable," he said, as though he had completely forgotten about Midna.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's hilarious that someone asked about Wolf Link. Originally the wolf was supposed to be male, and be at least somewhat similar to Link. However, when I was looking up the top 125 wolf names, I found Midna. After that point I decided I was trying to hard. I think that a sassy wolf would fit right in with the others, wouldn't she?
> 
> So unfortunately Return of Samus is almost out, I'm getting a gamecube, and school is a thing, so I have no idea how long it will be before the next update.
> 
> So I am trying on FF as well, but does anyone know of a good Wind Waker novelization?


	6. The Weight of Guilt

She was walking along with Alpha and Brother out among the outskirts of the two-legs' settlement. Midna wasn't entirely sure why they were out walking; however, she was hoping that they would hunt. It was always thrilling; silently stalking her prey until the perfect time to pounce. It helped lessen frustration when she had something simple and straightforward to devote herself to. Her inability to understand her pack's dynamics was irritating. They operated in a way that was completely alien to her. She had been raised in very different circumstances.

When she was born, she'd had a brother. Her blood brother had been small and sickly since birth, but that didn't stop Midna from loving him. She would wrestle with him until he didn't have the energy to continue. She would then curl up next to him as he lay on the ground panting and trying to regain his strength. Even as a cub, the little one had never given up, always straining to keep up with everyone else.

Months after he had been born, the Alpha had decided that he was unfit to be allowed to remain with the pack. In spite of her brother's efforts to contribute, he was generally viewed as deadweight. He couldn't hunt, he couldn't fight. The only place he really could contribute was helping to take care of the cubs. It was utterly useless though since cubs were left to their own devices after they had been weaned. Deciding he had no purpose, he had been chased away.

Midna had had to hide her sorrow at her loss. She had never been particularly close to the others, and any sign of weakness would only cause the others to pounce on her. So, she hid behind an abrasive wall for weeks, until the day she caught sight of a figure hiding in the brush a little way from their sleeping grounds. She had gone to investigate, expecting to find a monster. Instead, she found her brother.

He was even weaker than the last time she had seen him. He struggled to remain standing as he caught sight of her. She saw that he was favoring a leg, and there were the remains of small prey lying around him. Midna was overjoyed to see him again; however, it was short lived. She could see that he was on his last legs, and left to his own devices he wouldn't last much longer, but she couldn't stay with him. Remaining would draw suspicion, and the pack wouldn't be forgiving if they found him following behind them.

She returned to the others that night, somehow feeling even more pain than she had nights before. She had longed for the days when she could curl up with him. Unfortunately, the best she could do was bring him food. And so, for many moons, she brought him game that she caught. It forced her to hunt twice which was exhausting, but she didn't mind. She had decided that she would take care of her brother, and that was all that mattered.

The system continued until the day that he was found by one of the others. She tried to protect him, but in the end, her fighting was in vain. She had been separated from him as she tried to fight off his attackers. When she finally found her brother's body, all she could do was limp to his side and curl up next to him. She was too exhausted to care about the whines that crawled out of her unwilling throat as loneliness threatened to overwhelm her.

The next day she had been chased out of the pack. She knew that lone wolves didn't last long; she had seen more than enough evidence to know this. She was unwilling to give up, however, and so she trailed the others. She followed from a greater distance than her brother had and she was able to hunt larger prey.

She didn't know how much time passed between the death of her brother and the attack of the monsters. Even though she was an outcast, she still rushed to join the fight. If there was one thing that every wolf could agree on, it was that such things needed to be destroyed. It was during that attack that her leg had been trapped and she had been truly abandoned. That was when she had been thrust into an entirely new situation.

Her new pack operated radically different than the one she grew up in. Alpha allowed the others to question him, Mother comforted the others and shared her amusement, the Chicken caused strife and wasn't chased away, and Sister wasn't punished for showing weakness. Even Brother was lost on her. He hadn't hunted her down after he found her following him. In fact, he had been the first to reach out to her. She didn't understand her place in this unfamiliar world.

It was pleasant though. She no longer had to worry about what her packmates saw, no longer had to worry about turning her back, and no longer had to fight just to stay alive every night. She had sat next to Brother before they had left for whatever Alpha had planned. He had once again run his hand down her back as he had the first night they had met. It was strange. The action made her feel close to him, and that was something she had not experienced for a long time.

Alpha and Brother stopped next to a stone. Alpha picked up the stone and took a bite out of it. He grimaced slightly but made no other complaints. Midna shuddered as a familiar feeling washed over her. One time, when she had been traveling with her former pack, she had come across a forest that was perpetually covered in fog. Entering the forest had been the first time she had felt terrified in her life. The trees, bathed in fog, seemed to be reaching out to her with hungry claws, and no matter which way she traveled to penetrate deeper, she always found herself back at the entrance. Eventually, the pack had given up and rested outside of it. She didn't want anything to do with that forest ever again.

Brother was staring at where the rock had been with a dazed look. Alpha stopped crunching on his stone and said something to Brother worriedly. Brother didn't respond. He knelt down suddenly and held out a hand. A black object appeared in his hand. Brother stood back up and continued staring at the spot for a long time. Finally, he opened the object he held in his hands.

* * *

Revali cursed to himself again. He was sitting at a table in the corner of the Stable with Mipha and Urbosa, attempting to solve a dilemma.

His arrows were beginning to become a problem. His ice and fire arrows were damaging each other as they sat in his quiver. He had tried to use the regular arrows as a buffer for them, but it did nothing. In fact, the regular arrows were being damaged as well.

"You could always hand off the arrows you aren't using to Link," Mipha suggested.

"No! I refuse to be tied to his hip."

"I agree," Urbosa interjected. "It will be inconvenient, even dangerous, to have him fly to Link every time he needs to change out his arrows. We need to find a better solution," she continued thoughtfully as she nursed her drink. "Hylia forbid we find bomb arrows."

Revali grimaced. He knew he didn't need to remember bomb arrows to know that having them near fire arrows was a recipe for disaster. He grit his teeth and removed all the fire and ice arrows from his quiver, leaving only two shock arrows and a handful of regular arrows. He set the arrows in two separate piles on the table.

"What's this," Urbosa asked.

"I'm going to give these to the local pack animal," Revali grumbled. "He seems to at least be able to carry things without ruining them." He refused to be the one holding the group back. If he had to set aside his pride for the moment until a better solution presented itself, then so be it.

Urbosa replied with a quizzical glance but said nothing as she continued drinking.

Revali continued inspecting his arrows sullenly as he waited for Link to return.

"I'm master Revali, the Rito Champion!" his head snapped up to find a little Hylian boy running through the room flapping his arms like wings.

"Well, it seems you're popular, though I haven't the faintest idea why that would be," Urbosa stated nonchalantly.

Revali snorted and tried to suppress the grin he felt creeping on his face.

"Well I'm Daruk," cried another voice. Revali snickered as the boy who shouted attempted to somersault but somehow ended up rolling on his side. The child leaped to his feet and began chasing "Revali" around the Stable's main room.

They were so busy being entertained by the two boys' antics to notice the little girl that had approached them cautiously.

"Excuse me... miss," she started nervously as she tapped Urbosa's arm.

"Hmm?"

"You're a-a Gerudo, right," she asked shakily.

"I am. Why do you ask?"

"Well, uh, there was this bard that stopped here not too long ago. He sang about the heroes of legend and I was wondering if you knew any more about Lady Urbosa." she spoke quickly as though doing so would help ease her nerves. "Y-you knowâ€¦ the Gerudo Champion?"

Revali choked on nothing as the girl finished her question. Why did she want to know more about Urbosa while one of the little brats on the other side of the room was pretending to be him? He guessed that the child couldn't even hold a proper bow, let alone shoot it.

"Lady Urbosa," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully.

"And maybe... Lady Mipha," the girl added hopefully.

"Well, what did this bard tell you," Urbosa asked, covering up Mipha's surprised gasp and Revali's annoyed grumbling with her question.

"He said that Lady Urbosa was strong, almost as strong as the Hylian Champion."

"Nobody cares about the Hylian Champion," interrupted another child's voice. The two boys pretending to be Revali and Daruk had noticed the trio and drawn closer. "He failed, and if the legends are true, he ran away right before his soldiers were killed. What kind of hero is that?"

"He had to keep the Princess safe," the girl protested.

"Nobody's seen the Princess in a long time," the boy replied. "He couldn't even keep one person safe. He was a failure of a hero."

"They all failed!" Nobody was more surprised than Revali as the words left his mouth. He had no idea where they had come from, nor did he understand the anger that flared up after he had snapped. The children's faces paled as they watched him nervously, ready to run if need be. He stood up quickly and made his way towards the exit. It was late, but he needed to be alone.

* * *

Mipha watched as Revali pushed past Link and Daruk. The Goron looked over his shoulder and said something to Link. The Hylian shrugged and began making his way towards her. It was then that she noticed that the children no longer surrounded her and Urbosa. The Gerudo had sent them away and was striding towards Daruk. She sidled up to the Goron and began speaking under her breath as Link and Midna wandered back to their table.

"How are you," Mipha asked.

Link shrugged.

It hurt her to see him like this, but there was nothing she could do. Her healing powers could heal physical wounds, but psychological ones took something more than mere magic. He was as silent as he had been upon her waking, merely nodding or shrugging in response to her. She supposed it was better than what the others had gotten from him. Daruk and Urbosa were barely acknowledged while Revali may as well not have existed.

"You know you had to run, don't you?"

Link nodded.

"I don't mean because you were ordered to."

A quizzical look.

"I don't like saying this, but Zelda needed to be your priority. If what Rhoam said is true, then she is the more important than any of us."

Link didn't respond.

"For what it's worth, I think you were very brave," she murmured quietly.

Link's eyes widened slightly.

"I think every man that stayed behind knew that they wouldn't live to see the next day, except you. While they were certain of their deaths, you did not know what your future held. You could not be sure that fleeing with Zelda was the right decision, or if there was another way. Running towards an uncertain future must have taken everything you had."

He said nothing as he continued to stare at her.

"More than that," she continued quietly, "I think when you left you knew that you would have to carry this burden. That is something that very few could do as well as you have."

He sighed.

"I need you to promise me something."

Link gazed at her uncertainly.

"Please try to forgive yourself."

He said nothing as the seconds stretched to minutes.

"I'll try," he finally croaked out.

"Thank you."

"I leave for five minutes and I find you two staring deeply into each other's eyes again. Aren't there more important things to worry about?"

"How is Revali," Mipha asked Urbosa quickly before the woman could really get started.

"Daruk went to talk to him, but I would imagine not at his best," she stopped for a moment and set a finger on her chin, "if we can call anything we've seen from him his best." Mipha was about to try and defend the Rito when Urbosa sighed. She turned her attention to Link. "So, I hear you're seeing things now."

Link nodded.

"Daruk thinks you plan on helping this 'Hestu' out."

Another nod.

"I see. So far, your tendencies to help out everyone we come across has benefitted us. After all, that's how we have a bed to sleep in tonight, but Link," she continued as she eyed him, "we need to make sure our priorities are straight. We can't stop to help everyone."

Link nodded and stood up.

"It's late. I'm going to bed now."

Mipha watched him climb the stairs with Midna on his heels.

"How is he," Urbosa asked.

"I don't really know," Mipha replied as helplessness tinged her voice.

"Guilt?"

Mipha nodded.

"Then I'm afraid that the only thing we can do is give him time," Urbosa sighed, "we may also have to prompt him a little if he gets stuck. Can I trust you to do that."

"He already promised me he would try to forgive himself."

"Good. Did you tell him about Ordon?"

"I thinkâ€¦ I think it may be a little too much for him right now."

"I think you're right."

They sat together silently for some time when Daruk finally walked back in.

"So, how is Feathers?"

"He's not doing well, but that was obvious," Daruk replied.

"Maybe he feels guilty as well," Mipha suggested.

"I think we all do to some extent, but it seems like those two are taking it the hardest."

"Well, it is only natural. We failed to stop Ganon and as a result, thousands of people died. Would it not be worrisome if we didn't feel at least somewhat to blame?"

"A little guilt could keep us motivated," Daruk muttered as he scratched his chin, "but those two are lettin it paralyze them."

"It's amazing how similar those two are," Urbosa mused. She frowned thoughtfully as she continued, "Link isn't one to let himself get held back by such things. Feathers, on the other hand, is probably going to have to be dragged kicking and screaming. That was a metaphor, by the way, Big Guy."

"I know I'm not the shiniest of the ore," Daruk sighed, "but I knew you weren't being completely serious."

Urbosa cocked an eyebrow at the Goron.

"Glad to see you're finally catching on."

Mipha giggled as she continued to watch the back forth until she finally turned in.

* * *

Link held up the wooden instruments and inspected them. The maracas were painted red with white and black designs adorning it. He shoved them into his satchel. He had no idea why the band of monsters had them, but monsters had a knack for identifying objects of value. He would hang on to them for now.

"You're really going to take those," Revali asked skeptically.

Link shrugged.

"Oh, for the love of," Revali covered his face with a wing as he grumbled the rest of his complaint.

Link frowned at him. They had shared a room last night at the Stable. During that time the Rito had made several comments that lacked their normal acerbity, even though he was sharing a room with Link and Midna. That morning he had overheard Daruk and Urbosa whispering about whether or not there was a reason to be worried about him.

Revali removed the wing from his face and held it out to him.

"I'm running low on arrows," he muttered, "can I grab some."

Link controlled the muscles in his face as they attempted to form another frown. Something must be really wrong with him if he was asking with relative politeness.

Link pulled some regular arrows out of his own quiver and passed them to the Rito.

"Thanks."

Link nodded to him.

"Alright, let's get a move on," Daruk called.

They continued making their way up the inclined trail. Besides the Bokoblins and Lizalfos at the base of the hill, there had been nothing worthy of note. Now the only thing that differed from the dirt road was the rocks and two trees near the top of the hill. Link was dreading the long day ahead of him.

He was certain it was the wind at first. He couldn't think of any other reason that the smaller tree was moving. But he realized quickly that wind shouldn't cause a tree to move like that. Its branches bent like arms, and it even seemed to be stomping a foot like a child. He had a guess as to what it was, but there was only one way to find out.

"Those two trees are interesting, aren't they," Link asked Revali as he pointed ahead of them.

"Dear Hylia," Revali started tiredly, "there's only one tree. You need help."

Link let his hand drop. The fact that Revali couldn't see what he saw meant one thing. The smaller tree wasn't a tree at all. It was another Korok. Unlike the small tree-child he had encountered yesterday, this one was huge, about as tall as Daruk. As they drew closer, Link noticed giant eyebrows and a mustache made out of leaves. The Korok was sobbing and mumbling about something being stolen. Link stepped up to him and cleared his throat.

The Korok sniffled as it looked at him, and started like the other one had.

"You can- you can see me?"

"Yep," Link replied. "You ok?"

"Oh, fantastic. Now he's talking to people that aren't there."

"Hey, I'm here! Tell him I'm right here," he urged Link.

"I tried," Link replied, "he just can't see you."

"He's a jerk." Link suppressed a smile. The Korok looked old, but he still had the mind of a child. It was somewhat endearing.

"So," Link started, trying to steer the conversation away from the fact that he was the only one that could see him, "I am looking for someone named Hestu."

"That's me," the Korok replied excitedly.

Link shook his head. He hadn't thought it would be this easy.

"Your friend gave this to me," Link said as he pulled out the black purse and handed it over.

Hestu very carefully untied the drawstring and peered into it.

"My seeds," he cried, "you got them back." The large Korok stopped and started crying again. "It doesn't matter. I don't have my maracas," he sobbed.

"Maracas? Like these," Link asked as he removed the red instruments from the pouch and held them up.

"Yes! that's them," Hestu exclaimed as he grabbed them from Link. The Korok began doing a small jig as he filled the maracas with the seeds.

"Hmm. Hey, I think I can help you out. It's the least I can do since you got my things back."

"Help me out?"

"Uh huh," Hestu nodded. "I can sense Korok magic coming from that satchel on your waist. Even though it seems like those things are bottomless, they still have a limit to what they can hold; I could expand it for you so you can carry even more stuff!"

Link bit his cheek and tuned out the whisperings of his friends as he thought. So far, he had more than enough room to hold all of the group's supplies. That didn't mean they wouldn't have problems in the future. But arrow storage was an immediate issue. He also thought that

"So," Hestu asked expectantly.

"My friend hasn't had enough room to carry his arrows, so- "

"Can't you carry them for him?"

"Yeah, but we get into a lot of fights with monsters. It's dangerous for him to come to me to refill his quiver."

"Oh yeah," Hestu chimed, "I bet that wouldn't work at all. So, you would like a quiver?"

Link nodded.

"Okay," Hestu cried excitedly. The Korok began dancing around shaking his maracas to and fro. He finished by throwing his arms wide as a popping sound emitted from his maracas. Light coalesced above Link's head. "Da-na-na-naaaa," Hestu sang as an object appeared in the light.

Link smiled to himself as he heard the gasps of his companions behind. He reached up and grasped a small, plain leather tube that floated down towards him. He scrutinized the quiver as Hestu swayed slowly, letting his maracas drift with his arms.

"I don't know how much that quiver can carry, but it will keep the different arrow types separate. I hope it helps you out," Hestu said jovially.

"Thanks," Link replied as he turned the quiver over in his hands. "How do we use it?"

"Just concentrate reeeaaaally hard on the kind of arrow you want to use."

"Just like the pouch?"

"Yes, yes. exactly like the pouch."

"Thank you," Link replied gratefully. He waved to the Korok and made to leave.

"Oh, oh! One more thing before you go. I didn't get all my Korok seeds back. If you come across any more, bring them to me and I'll help you out some more," the Korok cried as he threw his arms wide. "Buh bye now!"

Link nodded and turned to Revali. He handed the Rito the quiver.

"I think this'll help."

Revali eyed him. Finding nothing to comment on, the Rito removed the arrows from his current quiver and moved them into the one Hestu had given them. Link then handed over the ice arrows. Revali gave him a scathing glance, but took one and placed it in the quiver. Both Hylian and Rito eyes widened at what they saw next. What had once held ten regular arrows now held a single one.

"Hand me a fire arrow," Revali said gruffly.

Link handed over the projectile. The Rito placed the arrow in the quiver and gaped. Again, they could only see the arrow that Revali had just placed.

"I'll take my arrows back," Revali muttered.

Link grinned and handed them over.

* * *

Urbosa walked through the hall of the Shuteye, Kakariko's local inn. The Champions had arrived in the village late in the evening. Deciding that it would be best to postpone their meeting with the elder until the morning, they had holed up in the Inn.

She and Daruk had become increasingly worried about Revali throughout the day. The Rito was unusually quiet and deflated. Even the few jabs that he had made at Link lacked any real bite. Daruk had attempted to talk to him last night but Revali had shut down, making it impossible to get anything from him. The Goron was ready to try again, but Urbosa volunteered first, promising if she failed then Daruk could try again. She had a feeling she knew what was bothering him.

Revali wouldn't respond to empathy, at least not in his current state; he was too closed off. There was one other option that could work. She could make him angry. He would likely be more honest, even if that honesty was unwilling. Luckily for her, she was quite skilled when it came to getting the hotheaded Rito worked up.

She stopped in front of his door and braced herself. She wasn't worried about her ability make him mad. What concerned her was whether or not she could keep her original goal in mind. Moments like this required her to stop for a moment and cement her purpose in her mind.

Urbosa was about to knock on his door when she heard a voice coming from the other side. It was too quiet for her to make out what was being said, but she still recognized it as Mipha's voice. She smiled to herself as Revali grunted a reply. She had been certain that the Zora had snuck off with Link and Midna. Instead, Mipha had come to speak to Revali herself. She leaned in closer to try and make out what was being said.

"- have been worried about you."

"Really," Revali replied. Urbosa rolled her eyes as the Rito attempted to sound disinterested.

"Yes. You haven't been yourself today."

"I'm fine."

"Do you feel guilty?"

"What do I have to feel guilty for," Revali scoffed. Urbosa listened closely. That was the most animated he had been all day. Mipha was likely close to what was bothering him.

"About what happened one hundred years ago," Mipha replied. Urbosa was surprised at how unperturbed the princess sounded.

Revali said nothing in reply.

"I think," Mipha continued, "that all of us carry some guilt. We all feel as though we failed, and so far, all we have seen are a few safe havens while the rest of the land is in ruins. Feeling at fault is natural."

"It isn't my fault," Revali snapped. "It's his fault. You heard the what the brats said, 'he was a failure of a hero,' so he is the one to blame."

"Revali," Mipha trailed off.

"What?" Urbosa was pleased with Mipha's progress. Though the Rito had yet to admit anything, he was starting to act like his usual self. It was a good thing, despite how unpleasant it could be.

"You said, 'they all failed.' Are you sure you that you are not blaming yourself for what happened."

"I am the last person who should carry blame," Revali nearly shouted. She straightened and folded her arms over her chest as someone stomped towards the door. Revali flung the door open but stopped short as he found the waiting Gerudo.

"I don't think we're quite finished yet," Urbosa said nonchalantly.

Revali attempted to shove past her, but she held her ground. He let out an irritated huff as he threw his wings into the air. He moved back into his room and began pacing back and forth as Urbosa stepped in and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it and began studying her nails. She noticed that Mipha seemed to be rather uncomfortable now that she was here.

Revali stopped pacing and glared at her accusingly.

"Eavesdropping? Really? And here I thought you might at least have something akin to manners," he said hotly.

"I think you're the last person to be critiquing another's bedside manners," Urbosa replied. "Now stop changing the subject, Feathers."

"What? _Oh_ , you mean where she," he said as he pointed to Mipha, "was attempting to project her own feelings on me."

"Oh, please," Urbosa replied shortly, "we all know that she wasn't projecting. You've been out of sorts since those kids started asking about us last night."

"You really think those brats got to me," he asked skeptically.

"More than think. The way you shouted them down was pretty telling," Urbosa replied with a cocked brow.

"What's the problem," he growled.

"That's the question you're supposed to be answering."

"Please Revali," Mipha interjected quickly, "we are worried about you."

"I'm fine!"

"It's really convincing, the way you keep jumping down her throat," Urbosa replied, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Revali, please."

"What do you want? You want me to talk about my feelings? You want me to talk about how ever since Rhoam told us what happened, I've felt like a failure? How- " he stopped himself. The Rito looked as though he wanted to hit something, and hit it hard.

"Mipha," she said focusing her attention on the Zora, "could you give us a minute?"

She nodded and stood up. After Mipha had left the room Urbosa sighed.

"Relax Feathers."

"I am relaxed," he responded tightly.

"I can hear your beak grinding from here."

"You just have to constantly be cracking jokes," he shot back.

"And you just have to be a pretentious bird."

"So, what now? Here to give me some of your _motherly_ wisdom."

"Yes," Urbosa confirmed without missing a beat, "stop acting like a child."

"You can't be serious."

"Oh, I am. You messed up? Then get off your feathered butt and fix it," she barked. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Now I am going to go join the others. Dinner will be served soon, and I expect you will be there, and that you will be your usual unpleasant self," she continued as she spun on her heel and opened the door. "And for heaven's sake Feathers, quit pouting. It's most unbecoming." She marched out before he could reply, closing the door swiftly behind her.

She smiled as she heard Revali cursing behind her. It seemed that at least some of his bark was back. She hoped the bite would follow.

* * *

"Jeez. What time do you get up, Little Guy?"

Link grinned back at the Goron.

Daruk shook his head. He was not a late riser by any stretch of the imagination, but no matter how early the Goron got out of bed, Link was already up. The same had been true this morning, Daruk had risen and returned to the entrance hall, only to find Link conversing with one of the villagers.

"Are you sure you're getting enough sleep?"

"What's sleep," Link asked innocently.

Daruk chuckled as he shook his head again.

"This is Dorian," Link stated with a gesture to the man he had been talking to.

"I'm Daruk," the Goron replied with a grin. He reached out to take Dorian's outstretched hand.

"Be careful," came a familiar teasing voice. Daruk groaned internally. "He has a habit of maiming people when he first meets them," Urbosa finished as she and the last two champions paraded down the stairs.

"Seriously, Mipha," Revali grumbled as they reached the bottom, "do you really need so long to get ready?"

"I-I-I'm sorry," Mipha stammered her face burning. "I did not mean to- "

"Oh, stop," Urbosa broke in cheerfully, "you don't owe him any explanations."

"Why are you such a good mood," Daruk asked hesitantly.

"Oh, I'm just glad that everyone is feeling better."

Daruk suppressed a shudder. He had only known Urbosa for a short time, but he could see that somebody had just upset her greatly. Now that he looked closer, Mipha looked displeased as well. That left Revali, who looked quite abashed.

"Everyone is feeling better," the Goron asked weakly.

"Oh yes. Our favorite archer," Urbosa said with a grand gesture, "is feeling so bold now that he has become a pervert."

"A pervert?"

"Yes. He now has the confidence to brazenly walk in on two ladies getting ready."

"It's not like that," Revali squawked as he threw his wings up defensively, "right Mipha?"

Mipha refused to make eye contact with anyone, choosing instead to stare at the floor.

"What's your problem," Revali asked, disbelief ringing in his question. "You don't even wear clothes."

A large thud bounced around the room as the palm of Daruk's hand collided with his forehead. He tried to exchange a glance with Link only to shiver. He had never seen the Hylian glare murder at anyone and he hoped he wouldn't have to see it ever again. Even Midna had put a little distance between herself and Link.

"And I thought Link and Daruk were the dense ones," Urbosa responded dryly.

Revali opened his mouth, but Daruk cut him off.

"We're here to speak to Impa, not make fools of ourselves." He wasn't fond of putting so much force in his voice, but he knew better than to underestimate the lengths that the Revali and Urbosa would go to get the final word in. He also wanted to prevent anymore embarrassment on Mipha's part.

"Yes," Dorian cut in, "Lady Impa will see you when you are ready."

Daruk sent the others an expectant glance. They all made their way to the exit. He shook his head as Link put himself between Mipha and Revali, while Urbosa kept pace with the Rito. He rubbed his forehead. It was just a little after dawn, and he was already exhausted.

"I get the feeling that being the leader is like herding cuccos," Dorian offered.

"Cuccos?"

"You'll see," Dorian chuckled.

Daruk followed the white-haired man out of the inn and onto Kakariko's main road. The small farming community was beautiful. With its terraced landscape, cherry blossom-filled trees, small wooden homes, and the friendly citizens, the town was a welcome change to what he had experienced since waking in the Shrine of Resurrection. Not a single one of them had even batted an eye at Midna. It was enough to help him see past the white hair and red eyes that every villager had.

Dorian pointed a man out to Daruk as they strode to the largest building in the village. The man was desperately chasing a bird around the village.

"That's a Cucco," Dorian stated.

"So, cucco is another word for crazy?"

"Not exactly," Dorian laughed, "I was pointing to the bird he was chasing, but I suppose it isn't really all that far off."

They climbed the steps to their destination. At the top a young girl, with the same white hair and red eyes that the entire village shared, carried laundry towards the door.

"Good morning Paya," Dorian called.

There was a small shriek as the garments she was carrying spilled everywhere.

Dorian quietly berated himself while Link was quick to help Paya clean up.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry," she stammered quickly. She took one look at Link, and her beet red face reached an even deeper shade of red.

"Hylia above, she's worse than- " The rest of Revali's observation was lost as he tried to subdue a cry of pain.

"You need to learn when to shut that beak of yours," Urbosa hissed. Daruk caught her removing her foot from the Rito's talons.

Link stood up and held a hand out to Paya, who somehow became more flustered by the gesture.

"She'll be along in a minute," Dorian said. "In the meantime, I suggest we don't keep Lady Impa waiting."

Daruk smiled slightly as Link picked up the laundry and rejoined them.

"Well I suppose it's nice knowing that chivalry isn't entirely dead," Urbosa remarked as she sent Revali a pointed look.

"We're moving on," Daruk replied. He didn't wait for the others, instead choosing to slide open the doors and walk through first. He took a moment to thank whoever had decided to make these doors larger than the Inn's doors. He only had to crouch this time instead of crawling on all fours.

The room he stepped into was spacious but sparsely furnished. At the other end, sitting with crossed legs on a pillow was an old woman. Though her face hung with the weight of age underneath her large hat, her posture lent to her dignified look.

Only after they had all filed in and gathered before her did she open her eyes. Daruk was surprised by them. Not only was there far more clarity than he had been expecting, but there was depth as well. They appeared to stare through Daruk, taking him apart and analyzing everything, yet still had the grace to appear as though they knew nothing.

"Thank you, Dorian. I would speak to them alone now."

Dorian bowed and left them alone with Impa. She regarded Daruk carefully, searching for something within him. Her face revealed nothing as her gaze swept to Urbosa, yet Daruk felt as though she hadn't been thrilled with what she found. She gauged each one of them before sighing.

"I see that none of you recognize me," she finally said. The faintest tinges of sadness could be heard in her voice. "I am assuming that you remember little if anything."

"Yeah," Daruk replied.

"I see." Daruk shifted uneasily as the old woman sat quietly. "Very well then," she started again, "as you have probably guessed, I am Impa, the village elder. One hundred years ago, I fought alongside the five of you."

"Elder would be putting it mildly," Revali snickered quietly.

"My youth may have left me Revali, but my hearing has not."

Revali huffed and looked away.

"As much as I would love to reminisce about old times, I believe that must wait for. How much do you know about the state of the world?"

"Only what Rhoam told us," Daruk answered.

"Rhoam," Impa asked sharply.

"Yeah. His spirit stayed on the Plateau until he could tell us about what happened. He was the one who sent us here."

"I suppose that would explain why we never had to intervene ourselves," Impa murmured to herself. "What did he tell you?"

"He only gave us a general idea of what happened when Ganon broke free," Urbosa responded.

"Am I correct in assuming he sent you so that I could tell you more?"

"That's right," Daruk replied.

"I see," was all Impa said. She bowed her head, covering her face with her large hat as she did so. "Ganon's history," she started as she lifted her head again, "is tied to that of the royal family."

"Ten thousand years ago- "

"Who cares what happened ten thousand years ago?"

"You would do well to keep an open mind. What happened then plays a part in what happened to you," Impa said sharply to Revali. "Ten thousand years ago," Impa started again, "Hylians were a highly advanced race, capable of technological feats we can scarcely imagine now. During that time, the royal family had learned of the Calamity's existence. They ordered the Sheikah, our ancestors, to build weapons to defend them from Ganon."

"And so, they developed the Guardians and Divine Beasts to help in the war against Ganon's return. The towers that you have seen scattered across the land also served a purpose, a sort of early warning system if you will."

"When Ganon finally reared his head, it was too late. The Divine Beasts, each piloted by a member of the other races, dealt him a devastating blow. The chosen hero, protected by the Guardians, used the blade of evil's bane to land the final strike, and the Princess used her powers to seal Ganon away once again," Impa bowed her head yet again. Her eyes were filled with regret when she looked up again.

"One hundred years ago," she paused to sigh, "we were fools. We believed that merely using the same tools as our ancestors would guarantee victory. Our over-confidence is what allowed Ganon to counter us so effectively. It did not help that Princess Zelda was, at that time, unable to use her powers."

"After Link fell Zelda had him placed in the Shrine of Resurrection with the rest of you. Afterwards, she went to confront Ganon all alone. The Princess left instructions that I was to give you when you finally woke up, However," she gave each of them a piercing look as she continued, "I will not pass on these instructions to those who lack the courage to see them through. Go," she commanded, "and return when you possess the same resolve as the Princess."

Daruk looked to Urbosa, who gave him a small nod. He saw Link and Mipha exchanging a similar glance, coming to the same decision as he and Urbosa. He found it oddly pleasing when Midna chose that particular moment to plop onto the floor as though she agreed with them. That just left Revali.

"Does it look like we're going anywhere," the Rito asked.

Impa laughed again, causing her entire frail form to shake.

"Barely a memory to your names and you all are still ready to charge forward without a moment's hesitation. Very well. The Princess' message was this: free the Divine Beasts."

"Free them," Daruk asked quickly.

"Indeed," Impa replied with a nod, "how you will go about this is beyond me. However," she continued, with extra emphasis, "that does not mean I will leave you with nothing. Link, may I see the Slate," she asked as she extended a hand. Link handed the device over.

"I will mark the locations or at least the approximate locations," she said as she frowned at the Slate's face, "of the other race's abodes. Once you are at your respective homes, I recommend asking the heads of each race about your Divine Beasts. Lady Mipha, you will ask about Vah Ruta. Daruk, yours is Vah Rudania. Revali, Vah Medoh. Lady Urbosa, Vah Naboris. Hopefully, they will be able to assist you more."

"Thank you for everything," Daruk replied.

"There is more," Impa declared. "I recommend you start with Ruta. Not only is Zora's Domain relatively close, but Lady Mipha held the strongest bond with her Divine Beast. Reclaiming Ruta will likely give you the knowledge you need to free the others as well."

"Will do," Daruk grinned. "Mipha sounds like you're up first."

"I urge you to be discreet when you visit your homes. When we placed you in the Shrine, we were not sure that all of you, if any, would survive. As a result, I opted not to tell the other races that we sealed you away. Many still feel the pain of your loss, especially the Zora and Rito. Many may recognize you, but I suggest that you at least attempt to keep a low profile."

"The Zora and Rito," Urbosa asked.

"They are the longest-lived races in Hyrule, and they remember their champions fondly. They may struggle with how to react when you return."

They nodded to her.

"There is one last thing I wish to say before you depart," she said as gave them a wide smile. "It is truly good to see you all again. May the goddess guide you on your journey."

* * *

Impa watched as the champions and their "pet" filed out of her home, back into the sunlight. She knew that in all likelihood Link was the one responsible for the Wolf's presence.

She sighed. She was never one to be ruled by emotion, choosing Reason to be her guide. However, no amount of tamping had been able to ease the sting that had pierced her when she failed to see the light of recognition in their eyes. She had known that it was unlikely that they would remember her, but that did nothing to ease her discomfort.

"Is something wrong, Grandmother," Paya asked as she finally removed herself from hiding.

"No, it's nothing dear," she replied fondly. "I have a favor to ask, child."

"Yes," the girl responded readily.

"Do you remember the chest you asked me about the other day? Would you go fetch it for me?"

Paya nodded and left Impa alone with her thoughts once again. The old woman bowed her head, deep in contemplation. The time had long since passed when she would have been able to join them. It was humbling to be left behind by those she had once fought alongside. She struggled, unable to entirely shake the desire to join them. She smiled lightly as she thought of what her sister's reaction to this would be. Purah had always complained about how stiff and cold she was in her younger years.

Her heart fell slightly at the thought of her sister. Perhaps it was time to confront the hard feelings that lay between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back. Did you miss me? I missed me. Anyway, this should have been up three weeks ago but editing was a problem. As a result, chapter 7 is pretty much done. I'll post it in a couple days.


	7. Brother and Sister

The Zora had requested her presence when the Divine Beast's rampage had begun. She wasn't terribly surprised. She had spent a great deal of time working on the Divine Beasts alongside Princess Zelda and several other Sheikah scientists. The missive had been rather unspecific as to the true nature of the problem but she had packed her supplies immediately and set off.

She and her assistant, Symin, had spent the better part of a month traveling to the Domain. It had frustrated her to no end, but Symin was continually dropping equipment and misplacing their supplies. That alongside the fact that neither of them was exceptional combatants made their travel time much longer than it should have been.

They had been enthusiastically greeted by the Prince of the Domain upon their arrival. He had rushed them quickly to the throne room where Dorephan, the Zora King, was waiting for them. She gaped up at the gargantuan Zora seated on the throne. When she had first met Dorephan, he had towered over the Gorons. Now the ancient King was larger than life, almost as tall as the domed ceiling that rose above them. Sidon, his son, and Prince of the Domain stood beside his father, not losing the original enthusiasm he had greeted them with for a moment. On Dorephan's other side stood one of the elders. His scales were green and, much to her amusement, his head was flat as though someone had dropped a heavy pan onto it.

"Welcome to Zora's Domain, madam Purah." She smiled to herself as Dorephan's voice boomed through the throne room. She was surprised that Dorephan didn't seem the least bit shocked at her appearance. Then again, in all the years she'd known him she had never seen the King phased by anything.

"Just Purah will do," she replied with a cheeky snap of her fingers.

"I take it you are the assistant that we have heard so much about?" Dorephan asked as he turned his attention to Symin. Purah tapped her foot annoyedly. The child in her wanted to stomp, but the more rational part of her knew that would be inappropriate.

She assumed Symin nodded as he remained mercifully silent.

"May I assume that you know why we requested you here?"

"You want us to see if there is anything that can be done about Vah Ruta," she replied.

"My King, I must protest this again. You don't honestly believe that this-this child," he spluttered as he waved his hands in Purah's direction, "can do anything about Vah Ruta. This is a job best left to a Zora."

Purah's irritation instantly flared at the reference to her apparent age. She opened her mouth to retort, but Dorephan beat her to it.

"Now Muzu," Dorephan cut in, calm as ever, "it is rude to comment on a lady's age. Now then," Dorephan continued as he ignored Muzu's grumbled retort, "as I recall, you worked alongside Princess Zelda and my daughter to activate Ruta."

"That's right," she replied with a thumbs up. She sent Muzu an impish grin, which only grew as the elder's frustration visibly increased.

"So, you know that Ruta has the ability to create an endless supply of water. For the past few weeks, Ruta has been spewing this water into the air, creating endless rains."

"For a few weeks!" Purah cried. "That would mean that the damâ€¦" she trailed off.

"You see the problem," Dorephan stated. "Princess Zelda believed that the orbs above Ruta's joints could conduct electricity. Sergeant Seggin managed to shoot a shock arrow into one of the orbs. Thankfully, the deluge slowed for a time, but only for a time." Dorephan sighed before continuing, "my son proposed we find a warrior capable of handling shock arrows so we could hit all the orbs, but even if we could, I feel it would only be a temporary solution. That is why we asked you here. Do you know of a way to calm the Divine Beast?"

"I can only speculate," Purah replied worriedly. "I think the only way to truly calm it would be to completely reset Ruta's core system, but that would require a device we don't have."

"You mean the Sheikah Slate?" Sidon jumped in. This was the first time she had seen the Prince so serious.

"Indeed," Purah replied as she eyed Sidon. Perhaps she had been quick to judge him.

"Is that not what you are carrying now?" he asked. She hid her amusement as excitement once again tinged his voice.

"This is my attempt at a remaking it," she sighed. "While it is extraordinarily useful, it lacks many of the functions that the real Slate- "

"Like Stasis," Symin interrupted dreamily.

"As I was saying," Purah continued through gritted teeth, "I don't believe it will be able to interact with Vah Ruta."

"Ah," Sidon replied, a grimace showing on his face. He wiped it away quickly as he quickly flexed his arm and grinned, showing off his sharp teeth. "Well no matter," he cried, "all we have to do is find the real Slate!"

"The bomb rune," Symin said suddenly. Everyone looked at Purah's assistant slowly. She snapped so hard her fingers hurt, causing Symin to jump. "Ah, my apologies. Every time I think about the- "

"Yes," Purah interrupted, "You love the Slate, you get lost whenever you think of it."

"It is so- "

"Will you focus!" Purah shouted. She counted to herself to calm down.

"This farce has gone on long enough," Muzu cut in sharply, "I will see you out myself."

"Muzu, these are my father's guests. You do not have the right to kick them out."

"I have entertained your fantasies long enough, Prince Sidon. These two can do nothing to help us and there is no Hylian that- "

"Enough." Dorephan spoke quietly, with barely any more force than normal, but everyone froze. "This is larger than all of us. Pointless bickering will do us no good. Muzu," the elder stiffened at his name, "you will show Symin to the library. He may find something of use there." Dorephan waited until the grumbling Zora and still dreaming sheikah assistant left the room before continuing, "Sidon, do you believe you can find a warrior capable of aiding us?"

"Absolutely," Sidon replied as he again flexed his arm and grinned. "I'll depart at once." The Prince rushed out of the throne room without any prompting.

Dorephan shook his head and sighed as he watched his son.

"I worry about him," Dorephan murmured. "He tries so hard to live up to his sister's memory, and I worry that will one day cause me to lose him too," he sighed. "Now then, assuming that we find the Sheikah Slate, and somehow board the Divine Beast, what will happen?"

"I don't know," Purah replied uncertainly, "I can only assume that Ganon left a trap for anyone who tried to reclaim it."

"Reclaim?"

"Ganon somehow took control of all the Divine Beasts, and he has maintained his control over them, despite the Princess' efforts to keep him at bay."

"Princess Zelda? Is she still alive!?"

Purah was taken aback at the King's response.

"Yes. She sealed herself and the Calamity within Hyrule Castle." She dreaded the answer she would receive to her next question, "how much did Impa tell you?"

"Only that all the champions fell, but that we had time to devise a plan before Ganon finished his assault."

Purah cursed her sister. Impa had always compartmentalized information. Occasionally the habit had its benefits, but at other times it damaged her personal relationships. It was what had destroyed her relationship with Purah.

"When Ganon broke free, he attacked the Divine Beasts and Guardians, turning them against us. We believe the reason that Ruta has been silent is that the Princess sealed herself and Ganon away. However, her power is fading fast. That would explain why Ruta has become active again."

"I see," Dorephan responded. "Is there anything else I should know?" he asked, leaning forward with an expectant look in his eye.

"Well," Purah replied uneasily, "there is probably one more thing you should know."

* * *

Daruk scratched his cheek as he stared at the map in front of him. Despite that his ability to use the Slate's map was shaky at best, he still wished he was using it rather than the paper one that he and Urbosa were currently poring over. The map was faded and provided minimal information on the landscape they would be traversing. He looked around the Wetland Stable as he searched for any solution that wasn't the one they currently had.

"I don't like this any more than you do," Urbosa replied to his unvoiced complaint, "but I don't think we can all go together. You're still recovering from the rain yesterday, and it's only going to get worse from what Irene and Rosso told us."

Daruk sighed. Being out in the rain, even for the short time that it was, had caused him to feel ill. He had only been planning on staying the night, but Urbosa had insisted that they stay an extra day to give him time to recover.

"I think it would be best if Link, Mipha, and I go on ahead."

"You should take Revali along with you," Daruk muttered.

"If the rain is as bad as they say, it will limit his visibility and his ability to fly," Urbosa sighed. "Besides, I don't know if his head is in the game right now."

"Do you really think that three of you will be enough?"

"I have no clue," Urbosa responded, "but I know that you're going will only cause more problems."

"Yeah," Daruk sighed. He shook his head. "Alright then, you three will go on ahead. Revali and I will stay here until you guys get back."

"Will you have enough money?"

"Even if we don't, Lawdon may let us work out another way to pay."

"I suppose."

"That is if the rain doesn't stop first."

"Let's hope it does," Urbosa murmured.

"Really don't like the rain the do ya?"

"It's a nuisance," she muttered irritably.

"Yeah," Daruk chuckled, "you were having a pretty bad hair day yesterday."

Urbosa narrowed her eyes at him.

"You aren't skulking now, are you?" Daruk laughed out.

"Choose your next words carefully."

"Is that really the best you have?"

"No, I just wanted you to feel like maybe you could pull one over on me."

"Why?"

"So I could take it away from you."

Daruk shook his head as he grinned.

"Now back to the Domain and Divine Beast," he muttered quietly.

"Scared of how I'll get you back?" Urbosa asked smugly.

"Terrified," he replied absently.

Urbosa grinned at him before returning her attention to the

map.

"Sticking to the road looks like the safest and easiest route," she murmured, "but if we take this path through the Wetlands, we could save a significant amount of time."

"Will you be able to handle it?" Daruk asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Rhoam mentioned that you lived in a desert before. Are you sure you can handle the Wetlands?"

"I'll have Link and Mipha with me," Urbosa sighed.

"Then stick close to Mipha," Daruk replied.

"I think- "

"I'm serious. We can't afford to lose anyone."

"Alright."

"Good," Daruk responded. He continued poring over the map. He sighed again.

"You okay Big Guy?"

"Yeah."

"I buy that as much as I would an apology from Feathers," she said, only half-jokingly.

"I just don't like the fact that I won't be there," he muttered. "I'll be sitting here moping while you three are risking your lives."

"There's no other way around it unless the rain somehow stops before morning."

"I know," he sighed. "Do me a favor. Take care of yourself and those two."

"You mean three?" Urbosa asked with a raised brow.

"You're gonna take Midna?"

"I'm beginning to think she is attached to Link's hip."

"Good point," Daruk chuckled. He bent back over the map, only for Urbosa to take it away and begin rolling it up. "Uh, what're you doing?"

"I think we need a break from this, at least for a little while," she replied.

"Urbosa, there's still a lot to cover."

"Like what?"

"Well, there's..."

"Even if there are things we haven't covered while we've been standing here for hours, it still won't be enough."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you noticed how often we run into trouble?" she asked patiently. "No matter how much we plan ahead, there will always be something we weren't prepared for."

"You're right," Daruk muttered. "I just wish I was gonna be there."

"I know," she replied sympathetically, "but this isn't going to help. You're only going to drive yourself crazy trying to account for every possible scenario."

"Yeah," Daruk took a deep breath and straightened himself, "thanks."

"Anytime," she replied.

Daruk grinned and started to saunter away. He stopped as Urbosa started speaking again.

"It's your job to keep us in line, but it's my job to keep _you_ in line." She grinned as she pointed at him, "Don't think I'm going to go slacking off now."

"Thanks again," Daruk replied gratefully. He, despite her incessant teasing, was thankful that she was looking out for him. At times he felt overwhelmed by the gravity of their situation. He supposed that was why Urbosa behaved the way she did, only showing her inner focus when it was needed.

This was the first time that it occurred to him that the reason she pretended to not take things seriously was to help lighten the mood. They had all had moments when the weight of their responsibilities threatened to crush them, but that was always when Urbosa had shown up to begin her teasing. It wasn't a permanent solution, but it was nice to forget about their troubles, if only for a while.

He quickly lost the train of thought as he saw a small child, who had climbed up a significant portion of a bookshelf lose his balance. Daruk barreled forward and caught the boy before he hit the ground.

"You okay?"

The boy stared at the Goron with wide eyes as he sat in the palm of one of Daruk's hands. He finally nodded shakily. Daruk gently set him on the ground and the boy instantly shot off towards the stairs like one of Revali's arrows.

"I think you're in the wrong business," came Urbosa's cheeky voice. "I think babysitting is probably what you were made for."

"What makes you say that?" Daruk asked dryly.

"That," Urbosa replied as she gestured with a thumb to the stairs behind her. The boy was peering at Daruk around the edge of the walls that enclosed the stairs. As soon as the Goron made eye contact the boy fled upstairs.

"He's scared of me."

"Oh, stop you. Give him a day or two and he'll be following you around like Midna follows Link."

Daruk chuckled as he shook his head. He was going to miss Urbosa and her teasing while she was gone.

* * *

Sidon cut through the water towards Mercay Island. After he had left his father's side he had recruited a few of the Zora women that were constantly following him around to help aid him in finding a Hylian (he reminded himself to ask them why they followed him so often). He had been keeping watch at Inogo bridge when one of his scouts returned, looking as though she had seen a ghost. He hadn't been able to understand the majority of her ramblings, but he had caught something about his sister accompanied by two Hylians and a wolf.

Sidon hadn't known how to respond to her. His sister had been dead for a century. There was no way she could be making her way through the Wetlands. Even if she were alive, why would she be in the company of Hylians? He had known that she had possessed a close friend among them long ago, but he couldn't still be alive. Why wouldn't she have come home?

He leapt out of the water, too preoccupied to do so with his usual grandeur. As soon as his webbed feet touched down, he began his search for the wayward Zora he had been told about. He stopped at the crest of a small hill. He turned his gaze every which way but still couldn't find the ones that he had been told about. He was about to continue his search when a small, dark blue form demanded his attention. Over in small cluster of trees sat a wolf.

He approached the animal slowly and apprehensively. The wolf made no move to attack or run away as he drew closer. When he was almost upon her, she stiffened and began to growl at him. He stopped in place but didn't break eye contact with her. He tried to remain calm on the outside, but on the inside, he could barely contain his excitement. The novelty of this entire situation might even rival his battle with the giant Octorok.

The wolf slowly lifted herself up and closed the distance between them, matching Sidon's caution with her own. He nearly giggled with childlike excitement as she began sniffing at him. She continued for longer than he thought necessary, but eventually, she stepped back from him. She turned her back to him and began stalking away. When he made no move to follow her, she looked back over her shoulder and barked at him. He took a cautious step forward. She began picking her way through the thicket, this time with Sidon following close behind.

His anxiety grew with every step he took. He had spent years wishing that his sister was still alive. He would sneak out of his room at night and stand, simply staring at the statue that had been built in her honor. There, he would try as hard as he could to hold on to her fading memory. Sidon felt awful that he was slowly forgetting the times he shared with her. A part of him, despite how childish he found it, felt that to let those memories fade away would be to truly let her die. In a way, those memories were the only thing that kept his sister from being just another footnote in the histories Muzu crammed into his head.

Sidon had confided all of this in his father. The old King had listened as intently as he ever did and when Sidon had finished, he had assured the young Zora that what he felt was completely natural. He had also warned that though he would always feel her loss, there would come a time when he would have to let Mipha go.

Now he wasn't sure what to feel. He knew that he needed to let Mipha go so she could rest in peace. Yet there was a chance, however small, that she was still alive. He attempted to keep his raging emotions in check as the wolf guided him into a clearing where one figure stood with two others who were seated on the ground.

* * *

Mipha knelt next to Link as she moved his hands across his back. They had been attacked as they had reached the last island that lay between them and the Zora river. Link and Midna, who had been walking slightly ahead of her and Urbosa, were quickly surrounded. She marveled at how both Hylian and wolf had only sustained minor injuries from the brief bout.

"I never thought I would get tired of being popular," Urbosa grumbled as she kept an eye on their surroundings.

Mipha felt slightly guilty as she hid a smile. When they had first started off, the rainfall was light. However, the farther into the Wetlands they journeyed, the harder the rain fell. As the amount of water that dove from the sky increased, Urbosa's mood fell to match.

She finished healing the wounds on her friend's back and began looking for Midna. The wolf was possibly more frustrating than Link. The Hylian always took some convincing to sit down and let her mend him but Midna was near impossible. The wolf carried a lot of pride in her and that was likely why Mipha struggled to get her to sit still. She wanted to make sure that she had healed Midna entirely.

She frowned. Midna was nowhere in sight.

"Where did she wander off to?"

Link shrugged.

"Aren't you worried?"

"She may have traveled with us for a while but that doesn't mean she is used to constantly being indoors or being around us," Urbosa replied.

"But what if there are more monsters?"

"Don't forget that she is a natural born hunter. She knows how to move without being noticed."

"But- "

"She'll be ok," Link said quietly. The reassuring look in his eyes helped calm her nerves. Truth be told she wasn't just nervous about Midna. Each step brought her closer to her supposed home. A home she had no memory of.

Mipha was about to respond when she heard a quiet rustling nearby. She glanced over to find Midna walking up to her and Link. The wolf lay on her side in front of her and Link. The Zora champion was in the process of reaching out to the wolf when Urbosa cut her off.

"I think that can wait. You should probably greet our visitor."

"Our visitor?"

Urbosa motioned towards the direction Midna had come from. Standing at the edge of the clearing, as if petrified, was a tall, scarlet Zora. Pain began building in her skull as she looked into his eyes.

Abruptly the Zora was a younger version of himself, barely knee high. He sat on a Hylian's shoulders as he gave her a toothy grin and flexed his arm.

"My dear sister... is that- is that really you?"

"Sidon," she murmured as his question brought her back to the present.

Before she knew what had happened, Sidon rushed forward and wrapped her in a nearly bone-breaking embrace.

"It really is you," he choked out. Her heart broke as she felt a wetness entirely unrelated to the rain trickle down her head. She had left her baby brother all alone for a century while she had been asleep.

"I'm so sorry Sidon."

"I'm just glad you're back." He held on to her for a long time and she let him as she did her best to not break down. His grip on her eventually loosened as he set her back down gently. She had been so caught up in the moment that she had failed to notice that he had lifted her off the ground in entirely.

"Where have you been all this time? Why haven't you come home? Who are these people and why are you traveling with them? Where did you find this wolf? ISN'T SHE THE MOST AMAZING WOLF YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?!" Everyone laughed as the excitable Zora spoke nearly as fast as Revali could shoot.

It was amazing how contagious the young Prince's excitement was. Even though Mipha still felt the weight in her heart and the burning in her eyes, she couldn't help but smile at him.

"That all can wait," he muttered as he cut his own excitement short. He reached down and took both her hands into his own. "We need to get you back to father at once. He will be thrilled to see you are alive." She dug her heels in as Sidon tried to guide her away.

"I can't leave them," she said. "They may need my help to get to the Domain."

"Why are they- "

"I think you should go," Urbosa interrupted.

"What?"

"Don't get me wrong, having you around makes us all feel better but I think you should go on ahead. I think it will do you some good to see your family. And don't worry about us. We won't be too far behind."

Urbosa's words helped but Link's determined look accompanied with a nod was what set her at ease. She turned back to Sidon and took his hand.

"Take me home."

* * *

"If it isn't one thing," Urbosa growled as she climbed after Link and Midna. It was barely the second day of their journey to Zora's Domain and she had already had to deal with more water and climbing than she had ever had the desire to deal with. The Wetlands were aptly named, and they had chosen to cross through the worst of it for time's sake. Now the rain was making an already difficult climb that much harder as the rocks became slick with water.

Rhoam had told her that she was from a desert. That was probably why she hated the awful amount of water in the Lanayru Wetlands.

She paused to wipe a stray lock of her scarlet hair out of her eyes. This only served to increase her frustration. She didn't spend prolonged periods of time on her hair, but for the love Nayru she at least wanted it to be presentable.

She looked back up to find Link's waiting hand. Past it, she saw him sitting on the ledge just above her. She took his hand gratefully as he helped pull her up the rest of the way. Despite his help, she was still annoyed with him. He had removed his armor and weapons, then took his tunic and tied it around himself to form a sort of pouch that Midna sat in. He not only had to climb in the same conditions as her, but he was again carrying more than his weight. The most frustrating part was that he seemed to be enjoying himself.

Link grinned at her as she tried to work her damp hair back into some kind of order.

"Not a fan of the rain?"

"You have to choose now to develop a sense of humor?" she griped back.

His grin grew wider, much to her chagrin.

"Less teasing, more climbing."

Link laughed at that. He grabbed on to the tower's side and began hauling himself up. Urbosa wasn't far behind him. She was grateful that the tower had handholds. They made the trip up much faster.

They took a brief break on another platform halfway up the tower. Link allowed Midna out of her harness to wander around as they rested. The wolf seemed grateful that she could walk around again. She paced back and forth restlessly as they tried to recover.

Link motioned for the wolf to come back to him. She obeyed with an annoyed shake of her head. Midna interested Urbosa. The wolf had started taking on some mannerisms that the champions displayed. She had seen her roll her eyes at Revali more than once.

Urbosa stretched her aching muscles after they reached the top of the tower. She smiled widely as she realized that the rain was no longer falling on her. It was still damp but compared to the constant patter of rain on her skin, it was bearable. She tilted her head back and tried to erase the misery of the last few hours.

"What are you doing up here?" a nervous voice queried.

Urbosa's hands found her weapons as she whirled towards the source.

"Whoa, whoa! Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," a Zora cried out.

"How did you get up here?" she asked curtly.

"Ah. A most astute question," he conceded. "A couple of weeks ago, Prince Sidon asked for volunteers to help find a Hylian. I agreed to help, but I got tired and took a nap. When I woke up the ground was rumbling and suddenly I was up here. If Zoras were more capable of climbing, I would be down already. I think my only option is to dive into the river but," he paused as a smile tugged weakly at his lips, "I'm a bit of a coward."

"I see," Urbosa muttered as she removed her hand from her scimitar. She turned a critical eye on him as she tried to estimate his weight. She turned down the idea quickly. She doubted the paraglider could handle the weight.

She was distracted by a crackling noise. She looked over her shoulder to find Link setting his pot over a fire he had built.

"What are you doing?"

"I think we should stay up here for the night," Link replied. "It doesn't look like the rain will let up anytime soon."

"It gets worse the closer you get to the Domain," the Zora added earnestly.

"I suppose it will give us time to dry off."

She drew close to fire, grateful for the warmth that it provided. She smiled at Midna as the wolf sniffed the contents of the pot and licked her chops.

"Seems I'm not the only one with good taste."

Link grinned as he continued stirring.

She settled down next to the fire and started finger-combing her hair. She really hated the rain.

"Here." She looked up to find Link holding a simple brush out to her. "Daruk thought you might need it," he said with a sly smile.

"Well, I suppose at least he knows a bit about a woman's needs." She took the brush and began the arduous process of detangling the red mess that hung from her head.

Link pulled four bowls out of his pouch and began doling a simple stew into each one. He held Urbosa's out to her. He then took another over and gestured for the Zora that shared the tower-top with them. She had noticed him edging closer to the fire slowly.

"So," Link started as the Zora took a bowl, "what's your name?" he finished around a full mouth.

"Gruve."

"Link."

"It's nice to be able to talk to people again."

Urbosa tuned the chatter out as she turned her thoughts towards the coming day. She checked the map on the Slate. It looked like in favorable conditions the trip to the Domain would take most of the day. If what Gruve said was true, then it would take all day. She sighed internally as she tried to prepare for the rain-filled days ahead.

"I really hope I can work up the courage to dive into the river tomorrow."

"Don't worry," Urbosa replied as she rejoined the conversation, "I'll help you out with that bit."

"Really? How?" Gruve asked excitedly.

"We'll discuss it more in the morning." The Gerudo grinned sweetly at Link, who stared at her. She thought it was adorable that he was trying to figure out what she was thinking.

"Thank goodness you two climbed all the way up here."

Urbosa held back a chuckle as she wondered how much Gruve would be thanking her tomorrow. She stretched out as she finished her meal.

"We should get some rest while we can. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

* * *

Link woke early as he always did. He liked the early mornings. It was a time when he could merely be. He enjoyed the others' company, but he loved the time he spent alone. It reenergized him far more than sleeping did. He would occasionally volunteer for the latest watch so that he could get that extra time. The one thing he preferred to solitude was the company of Midna or Mipha.

Nervous energy took over as his thoughts turned to his Zora companion. Mipha was capable of taking care of herself, that much he knew. Even so, he worried that she would do something rash. Gruve had informed them that the reason Sidon had been looking for a Hylian was to help subdue the Divine Beast Vah Ruta. The ancient machine had begun pouring an endless supply of water into the atmosphere causing endless rains. If nothing quelled the Beast's rage, then the Domain and all of the surrounding villages would be wiped away by the sea.

Link reasoned that Mipha would, being the Machine's pilot, have the best chance of calming Ruta. She was normally levelheaded but sometimes, when others were suffering, she overextended herself trying to help. He wouldn't put it past her to try and do something now despite the potential dangers.

"I see you are an early riser."

Link smiled politely to Gruve.

"Even less talkative in the morning?"

He shrugged. It was something he had noticed though. He had no problems speaking to the other champions but whenever there were others around he only spoke when it became necessary. It was never something he had thought of as odd, but Gruve had. Then again, Link was ready to admit that the Zora may be a few corals short of a full reef. He shook his head.

"Did I say something wrong?"

He shook his head again.

"Oh, I see. Now about getting down..."

Link frowned. He could see that Urbosa had a plan, but knowing her it probably involved throwing Gruve off the tower when he was distracted. He didn't want it to come to that though.

He and Gruve peered over the side of the tower. Link pulled his paraglider out and began mulling over the only viable option he could think of: he would have to hand the paraglider over and climb on to Gruve's back. He knew it couldn't support both their weights for long, but it only needed to be long enough for Gruve to get off the tower.

He gazed out over the edge of the tower as he began explaining his plan to Gruve. The Zora nodded thoughtfully.

"Are you sure it will work?" the Zora asked as he crouched to look over the edge.

"Definitely," Link lied.

"Well then- " Gruve was cut off as a brown arm snaked its way under his legs and quickly propelled him into the open air. Link watched, horrified as the Zora fell through the air, screaming all the way. He breathed a sigh of relief as Gruve twisted into a diving position and cut through the surface of the water, bobbing back up after a couple of seconds.

He turned an accusatory glare on Urbosa who stood next to him with her hands on her hips as she wore a triumphant smile.

"What?"

"You threw him off!"

"Don't get worked up. I only did it because there was no other way to get him down safely."

"But- "

"Link," she sighed, "You know I don't handle weak-willed men very well."

Link shook his head and looked back down at Gruve. The Zora had waded out of the water and waved to him exuberantly.

He turned on his heel to prepare Midna for their brief trip down. As he was tying his tunic around himself, he swore he saw the Wolf's eyes sparkle with amusement.

When Midna was secured on his back he and Urbosa stepped off the side of the tower and glided across the river beneath. Gruve greeted them enthusiastically as they landed.

"That was truly incredible! We must do that again sometime!"

Link and Urbosa exchanged a glance. He could see that she was just as lost as he was.

"Well, I'm glad you were appreciative." The comment almost sounded like a question.

"I should probably be on my way. Shall I let Prince Sidon know that two Hylians are on the way?"

"Yes," Urbosa replied.

"Excellent. Oh, you should try to be careful. I saw some monster camps along the path while I was up there."

"I think we can handle whatever comes our way."

Link gave a reassuring nod to Gruve when the Zora sent him a questioning look.

"I suppose I shall see you soon then." Gruve dove into the river and began swimming upstream.

"You were right. He really isn't all there, is he?"

_Link didn't hear Urbosa's comment. He was looking down at where his hands should have been, but rather than seeing the gloved hands of an adult he saw the bloodied hands of a child. Urbosa's voice faded out as the world around him shifted._

* * *

_He_ _stumbled over the uneven terrain again as he ran to the only two he could think of; Kodah and her father. His childhood friend had once told him that if he followed the river then he would eventually find her home._

_He kept running as he looked over his shoulder trying to spot any monsters that might be chasing him._

The monsters had attacked in the middle of the night. When his mother had heard the screaming, she shut him in the cellar. She had promised she would come back for him when it was safe. He had sat in the darkness as fear held his young heart in its clutches. Mercifully, the screaming was reduced to a dull cacophony that he could only make out if he listened closely. Exhaustion drew him into a restless sleep as he waited for the return of his mother.

He jolted awake at the sound of wood shattering. Guttural snarls filled the tiny cellar. He bit back a scream as he saw a twisted form lumber into view. He scrambled into a small hole in the wall that he used to hide in when playing hide and seek with Kodah. He listened in terror as sounds of things being broken open and things being overturned echoed in the room. A part of him felt indignant as his family's food was being ruined by monsters.

He tried to push himself farther into the wall as a red leg filled his view. Red scales were comforting to him, but the leg in front of him wasn't scale covered. And the sounds that came from the creature didn't sound like anything he had ever heard.

There was a roar from somewhere outside. The red legs in front of him rushed out of the cellar. He didn't move from his spot despite the cramping in his legs.

He waited.

And waited.

After what felt like forever, his little legs couldn't take it anymore. He crawled out of the hole and towards the door. He looked out of the door tentatively. He saw nothing and heard nothing. The smell of smoke permeated the air as he stepped out into the open.

He sunk to his knees as he looked around his home. Ordon, or what was left of it, had been completely razed. Only the barest bits of the homes remained. Link shook his head, trying to dispel whatever was making him see this.

"Mother," he called out.

The only response was silence.

"Mother!"

Nothing.

This was all just a mistake. Everyone had made it out were just hiding to make sure it was safe to come back. All he had to do was wait for them to find him.

He waited as twilight rolled in but his mother still didn't come.

He rummaged through the food that was left in his cellar. It was nowhere near as good as what his mother made but he was grateful for it. Besides she would be upset with him if he let it go to waste while he was hungry. He crawled back into the hole in the wall and slept restlessly.

Still, no one came.

He built a small fire and found a small cooking pot. All the cuccos were gone so he couldn't cook eggs for breakfast. There was rice though. He gathered some from what little was left in his cellar. He sat back as his meal cooked and hugged his knees to his chest. He hadn't expected his mother to be gone this long.

He refused to leave the village despite its state. He wanted to be there when his mother came back for him.

Still, she didn't come.

Days later he wandered to the village outskirts and saw horribly disfigured forms lumbering towards the village. Link rushed home and scribbled a panicked note telling his mother that he was going to find Kodah. He then fled the village as fast his little legs could take him.

He ran to the river and followed its winding path. The path was difficult, but he pressed on. He cut his hands every time he stumbled over the uneven ground. He was covered in bruises from falling to the ground, but he pressed on. He thought the reason for his flight was to outrun pursuers. He didn't know that it was because deep down he already knew that he wouldn't ever see his mother again.

He tripped at the top of a small incline and tumbled down the other side. When he finally stopped rolling he attempted to stand only to collapse to the ground once again. Link wept silently as reality finally set in. He had lost his father years ago during a similar attack. Now he had lost his home, his village, and his mother. He was all alone in the world, except for Kodah. The little boy looked up with tear stained eyes and crawled towards the river.

He stuck his face in the water, taking a long drink and allowing the flowing water to wash the grime away.

He sat back and finally looked around him. The sun shone brightly on the rocky path. There were so many places to climb and hide in. It was the ideal place to play hide and seek. Or he could play tag with Kodah in the open space by the riverside. Any other time he would have been excited by his discovery. Now all he could muster was a dull gaze.

He turned back towards the water to stare at his reflection. His mother had always cooed about how his eyes sparkled but all he saw was a nearly lifeless blue reflected back at him.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a small clay jar. He crawled over and plucked it from where it was nestled among the rocks just off the bank. He turned the dripping object over in his hands. It was unremarkable, but his childish curiosity took over and he opened it. A rolled-up piece of paper fell out when he tilted it over.

He unrolled it to find it was a letter. The child rubbed his eyes one more time before holding it up to read.

_To Whoever finds this letter..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I am back again... with bad news. The next update will probably take awhile. It's not that I am any busier, it has more to do with the part of the story we have reached. I am not good at emotional crap so it will take me time to make everything that happens in Zora's Domain actually work well.


	8. Her Best Friend

Dorephan sat back against his throne and watched his son pace back and forth in front of him. He had never seen Prince Sidon in such a state. Sidon, like his older sister, was governed primarily by his heart. It made it difficult for the young Prince to think rationally at times, especially when others were in need. Even so, Dorephan hated to admit that he was surprised that his normally optimistic son was this angry. Though, even he felt a simmering anger when he thought of his daughter who still slept in her room.

"How could they keep this from us!" Sidon burst out. "They let us believe she was dead for all these years."

Of the many responses that came to mind, he chose silence as his son continued to pace at his feet. He had learned not long after taking the throne that silence could be just as powerful as a commanding voice when used properly.

"Did you know?" Sidon asked as he rounded on him. His eyes stared up at Dorephan trying to pierce through him.

He was grateful that Muzu had chosen to remain with Mipha as she slept. The old Zora had been especially hard on the Prince since Mipha's loss. Had the Elder been there to hear the tone of the young Prince's voice, he surely would have started lecturing him.

"I had my suspicions, but I was certain of nothing."

"How long did you have these suspicions?"

"Do you remember what happened not long after the Great Calamity?"

"Do you mean the rogue Guardian that nearly attacked us? Why didn't you- " the Prince stopped as Dorephan held up a webbed hand. He said nothing as he allowed his attention to be drawn to the silvery sheen that filled the tranquil waters of the domain. The soft light took him back to his younger days. He had always had a special love of Night. The way the Moon glinted off the Domain's intricate, metallic surfaces held a beauty that the Sun could not hope to match. He let the calmness of the night wash over him before he answered Sidon.

"The Guardian didn't find its way here by accident. No, it was following a Hylian Knight who had come to deliver a message. I found him after I disposed of the Guardian. I believe his name was Owen." He paused, taking time to remember the Hylian that had brought him the barest glimmer of hope. He could sense his son's impatience.

"He told me that your sister had fallen on the field of battle and that the Hylian Champion carried her off the field himself. The Knight then told me that he had personally seen her to a place called the Shrine of Resurrection. He was uncertain as to whether or not she would survive, however, he seemed to think that she at least had a chance."

"He also gave me this," Dorephan continued as he opened a chest that lay beside him. From it, he pulled a beautiful trident.

"The Lightscale Trident," Sidon gasped. "But how? We sent it drifting down the river." The King smiled as he heard a tinge of the usual excitement in the Prince's voice.

"A part of me believed that she may still be alive," Dorephan murmured as his finger traced a wave-like appendage on one of the prongs. Even as an addition for mere aesthetics, it was quite sharp. "I had Dento forge a copy before the ceremony. That was what we sent down the river." He set the trident down gingerly, worried that he may damage it.

"I'm sorry," Sidon said suddenly.

"Whatever for?"

"I was insensitive when I asked you that. I should have taken time to think about how hard this must have been for you." Sidon sighed as he rubbed his forehead.

"You have every right to be upset with me," Dorephan replied firmly. "I was not as forthright with you as I should have been. She is as dear to you as she is to me."

The Prince nodded but seemed no less bothered.

"You aren't just upset with me, are you? You are angry at her as well, are you not?"

"You must be ashamed to have a son as petty as I am."

"I would be concerned if you were not upset with her. Mipha would never willingly abandon you but she has been gone for a long time. How you are feeling is a part of the grieving process."

He smiled gently as his son nodded.

"Now then, why don't you go wait by Mipha's side. She may be overwhelmed when she is awakened. I think your presence will help her."

"Just leave it to me," Sidon replied as he assumed his usual pose. His smile was not quite as wide as normal. He spun around and began jogging out of the room.

"One more thing," Dorephan called out. Sidon stopped and turned around. "You were wrong. I could not be more proud to call you my son."

Sidon closed his eyes and bowed his head. Even from his height, Dorephan could see the grimace that painted his son's face.

"Thank you," he finally replied. He turned back around and made his way out of the throne room.

Dorephan watched as Sidon's back retreated from view.

He gazed around the throne room. His size made it difficult for him to move much. The throne and the room that it was situated in was the only area that was designed to truly handle his size. As result, he chose to remain seated on his throne most of the time. They had built a pool at the foot of his throne after they had rebuilt it. It was made to keep him in good health but he had another use for it.

He reached into its depths and pulled out another chest. From it, he removed a finely crafted set of armor. It was tradition among the Royal Family for their Princesses to hand make such armor for the man they intended to marry. He traced the silvery bracers that Mipha had carefully set on the forearms. She had designed them to look nearly identical to the bracelets that she herself had worn.

He smiled as he looked over the piece. The man she'd chosen had always complained about how armor limited his mobility and slowed him down. She had kept that in mind while making it. The bracers and pauldrons were the only parts made of metal and even then, it was a lightweight metal. The chest was covered by tough, dark blue scales while the back and underarms were made of softer, black scales.

He folded the engagement gift up gently but did not return it to the chest, choosing instead to set it gingerly in his lap. The young man she had chosen had been known widely for his courage. Dorephan knew him for his stubbornness. If any Hylian could have survived alongside her, it would be him. He was just too headstrong to die.

And so, he sat waiting for a familiar mop of blonde hair to come bobbing up to his throne.

* * *

" _All_ _you have to do is write a letter and send it down the river."_

" _But isn't this supposed to help Zora girls find spouses? I'm not looking for a husband."_

" _It's called the Bank of Wishes dear," Nera chided a young Mipha. "You just have to wish for a friend, and it will help you find one."_

_Mipha looked down at the banks uncertainly. She looked back to her mother._

" _Are you sure?"_

" _I am indeed. I won't be around forever. There will come a time when you need to be able to rely on those around you."_

Muzu had come for her in the middle of the night. He was so busy rushing the young Zora to the infirmary to explain to her what was going on. No matter how fast she and Muzu made their way forward, she was unable to escape the pit of dread that was overtaking her. Queen Nera, her mother, had been in the infirmary for weeks. Despite the intensive care she received, the Queen's health had continued to deteriorate rapidly.

The young Princess had attempted to heal her mother using her own magic, but she hadn't mastered the power she had been blessed with. When she could access it, the power was weak and could only heal the smallest injuries. Her mother's ailments were far beyond what she was capable of treating. Mipha could only sit by her mother's side, her heart aching as she watched her once-vibrant mother wither away.

Muzu dragged her into the infirmary. She continued to follow him, not really seeing anything in her surroundings. She had passed the rows of beds enough times that she could find her way to her mother's bedside without the aid of sight. She barely registered her father, who stood close by with a sleeping Sidon in his arms.

"Hello, my dear." Queen Nera barely had the energy to lift herself up anymore. Often, despite how much the Queen hated it, she had to have assistance when eating. Even so, she still graced her eldest child with a loving smile as she reached out to Mipha weakly. The young Zora took her mother's hand gingerly and held it close.

"I-I'm sorry." It took all Mipha had to not break down. The crushing guilt she felt was only compounded as her mother's smile didn't falter.

"This isn't your fault," Nera murmured.

"But I- "

"Don't be foolish, child. None of us can defy the will of the goddess. You were blessed with miraculous powers, but they were not meant for me. One day though, you will understand why you were given them."

"I'm sorry, mother."

"Oh Mipha," Nera chided as she brought her hand up to her daughter's face, cupping Mipha's cheek as she continued, "always apologizing when you have no reason to."

Even before she had finished speaking, the Queen's breathing had become more labored.

"Mother?"

"I need you to promise me something dear."

"Anything."

"I need you to promise me that you will look after Sidon and yourself," she gasped out.

"Myself?"

"Yes. Don't you have a promise to keep?" Mipha felt panic taking over her as her mother's breathing became even more strained by the second. It seemed that she could barely force her words out.

Mipha nodded quickly. She had never sent a letter down the Bank of Wishes as Nera had urged her to.

"Good." Nera's hand slipped from where it had been resting. Mipha quickly grabbed onto it, some small part of her hoping that the action would keep her mother close by. "My one regret," she murmured quietly as the light in her eyes began to fade, "is that I won't be there to hold you as you grow."

"Mother?" Mipha asked quickly. Her heart seized as the Queen's hand went limp.

"Mother!" Despite Muzu's protests she climbed up onto her mother's bed and put a hand on her mother's forehead. She felt a familiar, surge of power and for a moment she smiled, thinking her mother would be okay. All too soon, the energy dissipated and Nera still lay motionless.

"Mother!" she cried out again. She tried again to summon her powers but there was nothing. She felt someone grab onto her and attempt to pull her off. She stubbornly held onto her mother, refusing to accept that she was well and truly gone.

"Don't be silly, young Lady. Your mother is- " She heard Muzu's voice break as he tried to hold back his own tears. She felt tears collect in her own eyes as she realized what that meant. Muzu had always conducted himself with the pride befitting a Zora. If he was struggling to not show weakness, then that meant there was no hope.

Her little body shook as she sobbed into her mother's chest. She felt the large, strong arm of her father wrap her up gently and pulled her away. She went willingly, curling up like her sleeping brother as her father held her close. She wanted so badly for that to be enough, but the tears just wouldn't stop.

She was so distraught that she didn't even notice as the King knelt next to his deceased wife and gently placed his forehead against hers. She didn't notice as he returned to his feet when he had finished his goodbye. She didn't notice as her baby brother was handed to Muzu, nor did she notice as her father took her to her room and sat next to her as she cried herself to sleep.

The only thing she noticed, the only thing that registered, was the large void that had wormed its way into her chest.

* * *

She lay on her back, staring at her ceiling dully. The young Zora had spent a couple of days believing, hoping that her mother's death was just a bad dream. She had spent those days in her room waiting for her mother to enter quietly as she always did. The late Queen never did come.

Muzu would come visit her daily. At first, the Elder had been understanding and unusually gentle. As time went on, he became angry with the Princess as she refused to accept her mother's death even after they had sent her body drifting down the Zora River. He would lecture on about how she needed to come to terms with the loss. Each passing day found Mipha's own ire increasing as Muzu continued to prod her. One day, she finally snapped at her mentor. He had walked away, angrier than she had ever seen him. He hadn't come back after that, at least for a time.

Though Muzu had left, the anger remained with her. No matter what she did it remained at her side as though, through some twisted logic, it was supposed to be her friend. It burned her insides, made her want to scream and shout the worst kinds of things at people, especially her mother. Part of her wished that Muzu would come back so that she could flay him with her words. She hated it, how it made her feel, but most of all, she hated how she couldn't get away from it.

One day she sat facing her wall with the overbearing anger coursing when she heard someone enter her room. She whirled around, ready to snap at Muzu only to come face to face with her father. She stared at him, unsure that it really was him that she was seeing. He had greeted her quietly, but she didn't extend the same courtesy.

His sad gaze did nothing to prevent her from lashing out bitterly at him when he tried to speak. She had finally gotten the outlet she had been hoping for. Every awful thing that she had wanted to say finally escaped her lips. Dorephan's sad yet patient expression never faltered. This only made it worse for Mipha. She wanted him to be just as angry as she was. She wanted him to fight back. She wanted to feel that her anger was justified.

Dorephan wrapped her up in a delicate embrace after she had finally lost the energy to continue. She had been too surprised to resist him. He held her as the anger finally left her. Her relief was short lived though as something come to replace the burning. Tears flowed freely as the King continued to hold her, rubbing her back gently. Neither said anything, letting actions and silence say the things they couldn't speak.

Upon waking, she felt a subdued sense of surprise. As she had looked around her room it looked as though the color had bled out of the world around. All that was left was a listless Grey. Even her once bright red scales took on a colorless appearance. Mipha couldn't be too bothered by the disturbing change. Everything that she felt or sensed seemed to come from somewhere far away. Everything around her seemed to lose their meaning. The young Zora had lost the energy to seek the meaning around her. All she could do was lay there, unaware of the passage of time, staring hollowly at her ceiling.

Muzu had come back after her father's visit. He had tried to speak to her but his words came out unintelligible to her. Eventually, the Elder gave up and instead settled for holding her hand. She could just barely feel his hand clasping hers but it didn't comfort her. A small part of her found some dark humor in the actions. Muzu didn't realize that his efforts were in vain. There was nothing to comfort, nothing that could be helped. She was empty, just a shell of a girl that used to be.

During one of his visits, she suddenly grew sick of the emptiness. She didn't hate it, she felt disdain for it and herself. It sickened her, the way she didn't feel, the way the world had lost its beauty, the way that she lay there lethargically. Mipha had no inkling of how long she had locked herself away but she decided one day that it had been for far too long.

After Muzu left, she forced herself to sit up and look around. She cringed slightly as she saw a tray of food sitting forgotten on her desk. She had no idea where it had come from. She felt a moment of self-loathing as she realized how much she had lost track of the world around her.

Despite the hunger pangs she felt, Mipha felt no desire to ear. She stumbled over to her desk and began to eat anyway. The food was flavorless but that didn't matter to her. The Queen had died but she had wanted her daughter to live, had made Mipha promise that she would take care of herself.

She used her wash basin next. She had no idea how long it had been since she had last bathed but she needed it. She had forgotten how wonderful it felt to be clean. She reveled in the feeling for as long as she could. After she had finished, she put her jewelry on for the first time since her mother's passing.

The Zora Princess sat down at her desk and pulled a piece of parchment towards herself.

_To Whoever finds this letter,_

She gave the words a dissatisfied frown. They struck her as impersonal, but she didn't know what else to say. She had never had a friend to write to.

She sat back and stared at the beginnings of a letter. The young Zora thought back to what her mother would have said. The late Queen would have told her to write something heartfelt. Mipha wasn't sure what lay in her heart anymore. However, as she gently placed the tip of her coral pen to the page, she traced lines and curves that became words and those words became sentences.

The letter's contents were a mystery to her when she had finished. It didn't concern her though. While she had written the letter to help her make a friend, her real motive was to keep her promise to her mother. She rolled up the letter and placed into a small clay jar that she had never found a use for. The young Zora then set off for the bank that her mother had shown her a lifetime ago.

Many of the denizens of the Domain stopped and stared at her as she passed them. Mipha gave each a quiet greeting and a small smile but never slowed down. She left the beautiful metal structures that made up her home and began the precarious journey towards the Bank of Wishes.

A small voice in the back of her head reminded her that she was more than capable of swimming there. It would be faster and safer. She quieted the voice, reminding herself that speed wasn't what she wanted. Mipha and her mother had hiked the first time they had traveled to the Bank of Wishes together. The Princess decided it would be a fitting way to honor her mother's memory.

It was late afternoon by the time she finally reached her destination. She took in the scenery around her, allowing it to whisk her back to her first visit with her mother. It had been a happier time but those times were gone now. It was time to finally make peace with the world.

The young Zora waded out into the water and placed the jar carrying her letter into the peaceful river. Mipha watched solemnly as the little jar bobbed away. A part of her felt sorrow as her letter left her view. It seemed to her that she was truly sending her mother off.

Another part of her felt that maybe, just maybe, there was hope for a brighter future.

She stood in the shallows of the river long after the little clay container had floated away. It was the only way she knew to say goodbye.

* * *

"Why are you so booorring," Sidon whined. "You finally came out of your room and all you do is study and train with Seggin. When you aren't doing that, you're walking. You don't even go anywhere, you just walk."

"Sidon- "

"I know, I know," Sidon pouted with crossed arms, "you have responsibilities, blah, blah, blah." He sighed and hung his head low. "You won't play with me anymore."

"I will play with you tomorrow."

"That's what you said last time…"

Mipha clutched her hands in front of her as the other Zora children stared at her as though she was a fabled monster. She tried to find a diplomatic answer that her younger brother could understand but those stares were the reason she didn't play with them. Every time she had tried to play with Sidon and his friends, they treated her as an outsider. Without fail, she would wind up a bystander, watching from the edge as they played. Then one day, Muzu had found her trying to play with them. He had become so angry with her and the children that he had gone on a tirade about how to properly conduct herself. If she had been an outsider before, she was now a threat to their fun.

She tried to avoid the children. Being alienated by her generation tore at her. The older generations loved her but they didn't know her. They only held an idea of her. Her father was her only hope of companionship but he had become busy in recent weeks. There was no one else. It was a lonely existence.

She was too distracted to notice the small form sneaking up on her.

"I'm sorry Sidon bu- "

"Tag!" She stumbled slightly as she felt someone crash into her from behind. She looked over her shoulder quickly to find a young Hylian boy grinning at her.

"What?"

"I was it and I tagged you," he replied with a large grin.

"Linny," gasped one of the Zora girls, "that's Lady Mipha. You can't- "

"Mipha?" he asked. The Princess wondered about the recognition she heard in his voice.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Link," the Hylian boy replied proudly.

"It's very nice to meet you," Mipha said as she extended a hand out to him.

"I'm not falling for that one!" he cried as he danced away from her.

"What?"

"You're still it. I don't wanna be it again."

"I see," the Princess responded uncertainly. She wasn't sure why but she had a strange nervous energy overtake her. Before she thought better of it she lashed out to grab the Hylian. He was faster and sprinted away from her.

"Too slow!"

A part of her thought it was inappropriate for her to be any more involved with the game than she already was. For once she chose to ignore the voice.

She could tell that Link was far too quick for her. The others were also likely out of her reach as they had backed away from her nervously, waiting for her to once again ruin their game. All except Sidon, who sat on the ground still pouting.

"There, there Sidon," she said with a playful smile. She reached down and patted him gently on the head.

"No, it isn't."

"I'm sure it will be." She edged away from him carefully.

"How?"

"Well for starters, you are it." She dashed away from her younger brother quickly.

"Huh…"

She looked over her shoulder. She laughed to herself as she watched understanding dawned on his face.

"Hey, no fair! Mipha!" the Prince shouted after her. He jumped to his feet and started after her.

She smiled joyfully as all the other children laughed. They closed in on the two siblings as some came into taunt Sidon. Finally, the Prince got ahold of a young girl.

"Aww," she complained. "Linny, I'm coming for you!"

"Just try and catch me Kodah!" Link shouted back.

And on and on the game went. Mipha lost track of the time as she became fully immersed with the others. She was able to call out to each of them by name now and they seemed to have forgotten that she was a Princess. Even in the midst of the chaotic game, Mipha was careful to treat the others gently. No matter how hard she herself was shoved or grabbed, she made sure to just barely make contact. She refused to ruin the fun by hurting someone.

Link gave her a mischievous grin. Gaddison had just barely managed to tap his heel. He had instantly rounded on the Zora Princess as soon as he had become the predator. His body jolted towards her but his lunge was a feint. She tried to leap to safety but stumbled. Link's grin widened as he launched towards her with hand outstretched.

"Lady Mipha! Princes Sidon! What do you think you are doing?!"

Mipha's heart fell as she recognized Muzu's voice. She straightened herself and turned to face the irate elder.

"Here comes grumpy gills to ruin everything." She suppressed the urge to shake her head at Sidon's sour tone.

"I asked what you are doing," Muzu repeated tersely.

"We were having fun til you showed up," Sidon replied sullenly.

"That is no way to speak to an elder, Sidon," Mipha cut in before Muzu could retort. Normally, the old Zora would have given her a slight nod of approval. This time he turned his glare on her.

"You two will come with me."

Neither of the two argued. They knew that tone all too well. It meant that they would be dragged before their father, where they would be forced to listen as Muzu ranted about their shortcomings.

As they made their way to the throne room, Mipha thought back over her experience. She found that even though it had ended on a sour note, she didn't regret it in the slightest. It had been so long since she had worn such a genuine smile. She held her head high as she followed Muzu to her place before the King of the Domain.

"What is it this time, Muzu." As always, her father sounded of tireless patience.

"I caught these two roughhousing, with a Hylian no less!"

Dorephan raised a brow.

"They were running and rolling around in the muck. They had little regard for- "

"And what precisely have they done wrong?"

"They have shown a complete disregard for decorum," Muzu sputtered.

"Have either of them fallen behind in their studies?"

"That is neither here nor there."

"So they have not?"

"No…"

"What game were they playing?" her father asked as he leaned forward suddenly.

"My lord, that is irrelevant!"

"We were playing tag!" Sidon jumped in excitedly.

The King regarded Sidon carefully. Then he turned to Mipha. Sitting in her father's gaze was oddly comforting to her. He seemed to always be able to see straight through her. It was as though he understood what she to convey without the need for words.

His eyes searched through her far longer than they had Sidon. Finally, he leaned back and returned his gaze to Muzu.

"I see no problems with them playing with the other children. As you have said, neither is allowing such excursions to affect their studies and Seggin has assured me that Mipha is making remarkable progress in her combat training. There is no reason that they should not be enjoying some free time."

"But my lord- "

Muzu stopped short as Dorephan took to his feet without warning. The towering King stepped up to the Elder. Setting a hand on Muzu's shoulder, Dorephan leaned until his head was level with his advisor's. He murmured something, then straightened and motioned for his children to follow.

Mipha had to suppress a giggle as she followed behind. She had chanced a glance over her shoulder to see Muzu wearing the most flabbergasted look she had ever seen. The Elder opened and closed his mouth, apparently unaware that even had he spoken, no one would be there to hear.

She sped up so that she matched her father's pace.

"If I may father, what did you say to Muzu?"

The King slowed and looked at her over his shoulder. She hadn't been able to see it before but a large smile was splitting his face.

"You're it," he replied.

The laughter of the two siblings was drowned out by their father's own.

* * *

Later that same night, Mipha was returning from one of her walks when she heard Muzu arguing with King Dorephan. She had intended to keep going but she heard her name mentioned.

"It is not her place to be rolling around with the riff-raff."

"Tell me Muzu, what has the boy done to deserve your scorn?"

"He is a nuisance! Since he has come along, he has been a negative influence on our youth. Now he is trying to corrupt your children. He should be thrown out before he can do any more damage than has already been done."

"What damage is this?"

"As I was saying earlier," Muzu replied tightly, "I have never seen such poor conduct from Mipha and Sidon."

Her father was quiet for a long time. She was worried that he was truly considering sending Link away. She had learned that his home had been destroyed in a raid. This was the only place he could come to.

"Has it perhaps occurred to you, my old friend, that you are wrong in this instance. My daughter has never had a strong bond with her peers. If what you say is true, then he has done more to help her build those bonds then either of us has."

"But he is- "

"Enough!" Mipha flinched as her father snapped at Muzu. She had never heard him speak in such a manner. "What is it you desire Muzu? That my children conduct themselves 'properly?' Then perhaps you should attend to your behavior first. How often do I allow you to overstep your bounds, advisor?"

Mipha heard Muzu attempt to formulate response but was unsuccessful. Eventually, Dorephan sighed tiredly.

"I am sorry, old friend, but you must realize that your way will only make it harder for the poor girl. She needs to earn the love of her peers now before she becomes unreachable on the throne."

"My Lord, I just-"

"Do you wish for her to become bitter and resentful?"

"That is not at all my intent," she heard Muzu reply quickly.

"Then let her be a child while she still can."

"As you wish," Muzu replied, his voice full of sorrow.

She hid quickly as the Elder exited the throne room. The normally proud Zora no longer bore a proud posture. He slouched as we walked down the steps leading to the Domain's square slowly. Her heart went out her mentor as he stepped out of view.

"While I am glad that you are behaving your age, I am not entirely sure that I like all of these new habits." Her insides froze as her father's voice emanated from the throne room. She stepped into the large room nervously. Her heart seized even further as she saw an unusually stern expression on the King's face. "I don't think eavesdropping is particularly appropriate for anyone, young lady."

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

"How much did you hear?"

"More than I should have."

"I see. Well try not to make a habit of it," Dorephan chuckled. His face softened as he continued, "it has been too long since the two of us could speak as father and daughter. How are you, my dear?"

"I am well, thank you."

"Good." Dorephan leaned forward and gave her a searching look. "How are you really?"

"I… don't know," Mipha replied as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Her father said nothing nor did he need to. She knew that he would wait as long as needed for her to finish.

"I am well enough mostly but there are still days when I struggle to get up in the morning," she admitted.

Dorephan closed his eyes as she continued.

"There are times when I wonder if I will ever truly move on…"

Quiet reigned as both father and daughter said nothing. Eventually, the King sat back and opened his eyes. He stared above her, lost in thoughts.

"Everyone that we meet," he started slowly as he refocused his attention on her, "everyone that we allow into our lives are all so very different. As such, each one will create a space in our hearts that is so uniquely their own," Dorephan sighed.

"When we lose that person, a hole is created. We often try to fill those holes with other people or things, however, nothing is able to fill that hole quite like that person."

Mipha nodded. She knew him well enough to know that he wasn't done speaking yet. Dorephan continued gathering his thoughts.

"The true struggle of loss is not learning to fill that void, it's learning to live with it."

"So I will always feel this pain?"

"You will always feel it to some extent. Maybe not as much as you feel it now but nobody will ever be able to take her place in your heart."

"Do you miss her?"

"Every day," Dorephan murmured.

"Did she know that she was going to die?" she asked carefully. There were doubts and questions that she had held inside for so long. She hoped to finally get some answers.

"I think she knew long before the sickness took hold," Dorephan replied solemnly. "Not long after your brother was born, she began to act differently, almost like she was preparing for something inevitable."

"Was she scared?" Mipha's voice cracked slightly as she asked.

"I think her only worry was for you and Sidon," her father murmured. "Her peaceful manner never left her, even when she thought no one was watching her." He chuckled suddenly, "she used to joke about how, at the rate I am 'growing,'" he said as he patted his stomach, "that I would be joining her soon."

Mipha winced slightly. Her father may have found it funny. Such jokes weren't to her liking. Her father gave her an apologetic smile.

"Is there anything else you wished to ask me?"

"Do you intend to send Link away?"

"Are you already on a first name basis with him? Perhaps I should seeing as things are moving rather fast between you two," he replied with a raised brow.

The King's laughter boomed through the room as Mipha threw her hands and up shook her head quickly.

"No, I do not intend to send him away. Besides," Dorephan said sadly, "we would have nowhere to send him from what I hear."

"T-thank you," Mipha stuttered.

"Before you take your leave, there is one thing I must ask of you. Please try to keep your 'escapades' with the other children away from Muzu. We all have enough stress without him feeling the need to correct this as well."

"Has something happened, father?"

"Nothing you need worry about my dear. Now, will you do as I have asked?"

Mipha nodded.

"Thank you. Sleep well, child."

"I hope you do as well."

* * *

"Link, are you sure you are okay? Mipha asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Link sighed, "Kodah and I got into a big fight."

"If you would like, we could postpone until you are feeling better."

"Are you kidding!" Link exclaimed enthusiastically, "I've been waiting to see Naydra since you told me about her!"

"Then we should be on our way."

Link followed her out of the Domain towards the Veiled Falls. Mipha couldn't help but notice that Link's step was lacking its usual spring.

"Link?"

"Hmm?"

"May I ask what you and Kodah were fighting about?"

"Oh… that." The boy sighed as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Kodah was snooping through my stuff and she found a personal letter of mine."

"Why would be upset about a letter of yours?"

"She thinks it's a love letter. She made me… she made me choose between her and the person who sent it." With those words, the Princess understood the problem. Kodah had a blatant crush on Link, which the Hylian seemed completely oblivious to.

"May I ask who you chose?" Mipha asked timidly. She had no desire to upset him by asking too personal a question and the further she pried, the more uncomfortable he became.

"I told her that I didn't have those kinds of feelings for either of them," Link replied as he started rubbing the back of his head. "But she told me I had to choose one. I… didn't choose her. She didn't take it very well," he sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Besides, I finally get to see a dragon!"

Mipha giggled as he shifted from a sullen mood to his usual excitable self. She shook her head as he flexed an arm and grinned. Sidon had taken a liking to the stance and had started using it himself. Trouble seemed to hound the Hylian and Zora Prince when they made that stance.

"So what makes this spot so cool?" Link asked as they climbed the steep incline that led to the top of the falls.

"My mother used to bring me here to watch Naydra. I suppose it is no different from any other spot."

"Your mother?"

"Yes…"

"Are you sure she would be okay with you bringing me?" Link asked somberly.

"I think she would be thrilled to know that I trusted someone enough to bring them here. Are you alright?" Link had slowed down noticeably. She had trouble making out his face in the dusk that lay over the hills that surrounded Zora's Domain but she was sure he was wearing a pained expression.

"I just really miss my mother and my friends."

"I'm so sorry to have made you think of them."

Link shrugged.

"Would you tell me about them?"

"I had a couple of friends but my favorite was Owen. He was like Sidon, always getting into trouble but you couldn't ever really be mad at him. One day we made a brother's pack. After that, we both got in trouble a lot more."

"A brother's pack?"

"Yeah," Link grinned, "sounds cool, doesn't it. A Goron came to visit us one time, I think his name was Daruk," Link said thoughtfully. "Anyway, he told us about it. He thought it was really funny how we got ourselves into trouble and tried to get out of it. He told us it's when two people swear that no matter what happens, they'll have each other's back."

"Owen must have meant a lot to you."

"Yeah…"

"What about your mother?"

"..."

"If you don't want to- "

"She always used to talk about how I had my father's eyes. Something about how they sparkled like his. When Owen and I would get in trouble, she always used to sit me down and tell me why I shouldn't go and do stupid things, then she would sigh and say 'what am I to do with you?'" He stopped but even so, Mipha didn't speak. She felt that maybe there was more he wanted to say.

"Whenever I would get scared, she would hug me and tell me that everything would be alright. That my father was watching over me and would help protect me. I just wish he had protected her too. I guess even he couldn't keep everyone safe."

"Link…"

Their hike continued in silence as Mipha regretted asking about her friend's past. They finally reached the tops of the hills and the Zora wordlessly began leading the Hylian towards a pond that fed into a small waterfall.

"Thanks, Mipha," Link said quietly.

"For what?" Mipha was genuinely confused about why the Hylian would be thanking her.

"Kodah only likes to talk about happy things. Sometimes I need to talk about sad things though."

"You are welcome. I hope you know that you can always talk to me."

"I do," Link replied with a smile.

Mipha returned his smile. She sat down gracefully as Link plopped down next to her. They stared up at the sky expectantly, waiting for the giant snake-like dragon to come.

"Have you gotten into the Bazz Brigade yet?" Mipha asked as they saw no sign of Naydra.

"Yep."

"And how did you manage that?" she asked innocently. Seggin had been scoffing about it all morning during her training.

"By giving Bazz sword lessons," Link muttered. "I actually think he may be hopeless."

"Hmm?"

"I thought maybe he just needed someone who believed in him. Now I think that he just wasn't made to swing a sword," he sighed.

"Well, at least you are trying. Sergeant Seggin gave up a long time ago."

"What does the Demon Sergeant have to do with Bazz?"

"Didn't you know? Bazz is his son."

"What!?" Link cried incredulously. "Bazz is the son of the Demon Sergeant."

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"He nearly cut his foot off at practice this morning!"

"Oh dear," Mipha murmured as she brought up a hand to hide her smile.

Once again the two fell quiet. Nothing happened as they sat there but Mipha didn't mind. She almost wished that the dragon wouldn't show. She could almost believe that if Naydra didn't come then maybe this moment wouldn't have to end.

Link flopped onto his back and stared up at the stars above them.

"One time, my mother told me that the stars were windows into heaven and that the people we lost used them to watch over us… do you think that's true?"

Mipha lay down beside him and looked up to the stars as well. She didn't know what she believed about the afterlife or the goddesses.

"I believe that those who loved us are always with us, even though we can't hear or see them." She turned to find Link with a dissatisfied expression. "Unfortunately, that rarely makes things easier."

Link said nothing as he continued staring at the sky above. Mipha also continued gazing above, somehow wishing that she could ease her friend's pain. Though her healing powers had grown greatly, she couldn't mend a broken heart. She could only offer companionship.

Link's face morphed to grin as a bluish light filled their surroundings.

"Naydra," he breathed excitedly.

Mipha looked up to find Naydra twisting through the air. The giant snake-dragon was covered in iridescent, blue-green scales. Small legs appeared to be swimming through the air as they helped propel Naydra through the night sky.

"Beautiful, is she not?"

"Yeah."

"Naydra has guarded this land since ancient times. Her presence and continued blessings are the reason that we are not overwhelmed by monsters."

"She keeps this land safe?"

"As much as she can, but…" Mipha didn't finish. She only had an inkling that something was wrong with the world. Months ago, when she had spoken with her father about Muzu, he had let slip that something was wrong. After that, she began to notice how busy her father had become. It also did not escape her that all the Elders seemed on edge about something. Jihato, the Zora historian, had been called away several times. The Zora Princess could only hope that she was wrong about the storm she sensed on the horizon.

"But even she can't save everyone," Link finished glumly. "She still looks awesome."

"She is a sight to behold."

"And someday I'll meet her in person," Link said, unwavering determination in his voice.

"Meet her?"

"Yeah!" Link cried as jumped to his feet. "HEAR THAT NAYDRA? I'M GONNA COME MEET YOU ONE DAY!"

Mipha marveled at the young Hylian. No matter how the world tried to beat him down, he was always ready to get back up with a smile on his face. She noticed a scratch on his arm that had escaped her before. She chastised herself internally for not noticing it earlier.

As Link lay back down, she reached out gently placed her hand over the scratch. She let her healing magic flow. She wasn't sure what had caused the improvement of her powers but she was grateful. Now, she could heal most any minor injury that she came across. She began to believe that in time, she would be able to heal anything short of death. The Young Princess' only regret was that it wouldn't be in time to save her mother.

As Mipha drew her hand back, Link grabbed it and held it tightly in his own. Mipha sent him a questioning gaze but he didn't look away from Naydra. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze. He returned it. The young Zora wished that every day could be like this, quietly spent in the company of a dear friend.

_The two friends lay side by side as Naydra danced through the sky above them._


	9. To Wait for a Friend

" _Tis I! Prince Sidon, astride my trusty steed!" cried the young Prince from atop Link's shoulders._

" _Link, you know that you are not required to act out every one of his fantasies, correct?"_

" _Aww, c'mon Mipha," Sidon whined. "Link has fun too, don't you Link?"_

_The Hylian whinnied in response while giving her a large grin._

" _Prince Sidon! Get down from that miscreant's head at once!"_

_Link didn't wait for prodding from Sidon. As soon as he heard Muzu's voice he took off, holding on to Sidon with one hand to make sure the energetic Zora didn't fall._

"I knew that Hylian was trouble," Muzu carped as he glared at Link's retreating back.

Mipha didn't reply. No matter what she said, the Elder would begin harping her for her continued involvement with him. Her father had put an end to Muzu's attempts to forcibly remove the boy and had resorted to disciplining him publicly whenever he had the chance. Mipha found it ironic that one who was constantly criticizing the other races for their intolerance used such cheap and underhanded methods against another. Then again, her mother had often speculated that what people despised in others was often something that they despised in themselves.

"As for you, Lady Mipha, you are far too old to be spending time with such pitiful examples of- "

"Put a cork in it."

Mipha glanced beside her to find her instructor, Seggin, standing beside her.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand such matters," Muzu replied hotly.

"As a general rule," Seggin growled back, "I don't care for Hylians either. Link is an exception."

"He is no different- "

"Since the beginning of his stay, he has helped wherever he has been needed. Dento, Kapson, myself, even King Dorephan has been able to rely on him for small tasks. He does what is asked reliably and without complaint."

"That does not change the fact that he is a poor influence on the younger generation."

"Have you not noticed how many, Prince Sidon included, have taken their duties more seriously since he has come along."

"Perhaps you are just relieved that someone was able to teach your son to wield a blade," Muzu snarled back.

Mipha watched nervously as a tight-jawed Seggin thrust his face into Muzu's.

"I have no more love for his kind than you, but I will give credit where credit is due."

"That is enough, both of you." Mipha hoped her intervention would stop the conflict from escalating any further.

The two aggressors gave her a shocked look then looked back at each other. The look passed between them was far from amicable. They scoffed at each other and walked away, both too full of pride to apologize to the other.

Mipha sighed quietly. She had hoped they would reconcile themselves, but it seemed that hope was misguided.

"No matter what you may do or say, you cannot change another. Those two will either learn themselves or they will not."

"Father," Mipha nodded in greeting as the King joined her.

"I'm glad to see that you have finally dropped unnecessary formalities," Dorephan chuckled. She smiled in return as she searched for a reason for his presence. It was unlike him to be out and about during the day.

"If I may ask, what are you doing here?"

"Seggin informs me that your abilities with your trident have surpassed even his own skill. I was hoping that I would be able to witness it, but I suppose it will have to wait," he sighed. "Will you walk with me?"

Mipha nodded. Her father smiled approvingly and made for a walkway just outside of the training yard. Dorephan said nothing for a long time as a thoughtful silence lay between the two.

"Muzu informs me that you continue to excel in your studies. Seggin takes pride in you and all that you have become capable of. I have even heard that your healing abilities have been steadily improving these past months. I am proud of you."

"Thank you," Mipha murmured quietly. She couldn't shake the feeling that her father wishing to express pride in her was not what the conversation was truly about.

"I must confess to some concern though. Sidon tells me that you have not been spending as much time with your friends of late."

"I…"

"It's Link, is it not?"

"Yes," Mipha replied helplessly. "It seems the less time I spend with him, the less… irritable Muzu is."

"Hmm," Dorephan hummed to himself. "I think you should worry less about keeping Muzu satisfied."

"But- "

"The three of us had an agreement," Dorephan interrupted sternly, "you kept up with your duties and Muzu allowed you your free time. As far as I can see, you have more than kept up your end of the bargain."

Mipha didn't reply.

"I don't think you realize how much you need your friends."

"What?"

"Do you believe it is a coincidence that your ability to heal increased as you made friends and played with them?"

"I never thought of it like that."

"I am also assuming that you haven't noticed how your confidence has grown by leaps and bounds as well."

"It has?"

"I can remember a time when you would have sat and nervously listened to Muzu and Seggin argue rather than attempt to appease them."

"I didn't want the conflict to escalate more than it had."

"Good," the King replied warmly. "I have seen you grow tremendously since you met Link. I hope that I will continue to see that growth."

"I'll try to make time for them," Mipha murmured.

"That is good. I would hate to lose a potential son in law."

"W-what?" Mipha stammered.

"Well from what I hear, he is rather popular among the girls your age."

"F-father! It would be highly inappropriate for me to get swept up in such fantasies."

"My dear," her father scoffed mockingly, "we both know that the heart is a fickle thing."

"I-I do not have such feelings for him or anyone else," Mipha replied defensively.

"Well if you did, I can't say I would disapprove. He has set a fine example for Sidon to follow."

"You haven't even met him."

"I have indeed," her father replied casually. "He came to ask after you personally when you stopped meeting with him."

"He did?"

"He misses you dearly, Mipha."

Mipha's eyes fell to the ground as guilt overwhelmed her. She hadn't meant to hurt him. She had hoped to protect him, not add to his grief.

"I think you know what you should do."

Mipha nodded.

"Well then, what are you still doing here? Off you go."

"Thank you, father."

* * *

"Ha! You're so slow Link!" Sidon cried as he swam circles around the Hylian.

"Hey, it's not my fault I can't swim as fast as you."

Mipha sat along the shore as Link attempted to catch Sidon in the waters of Toto Lake. While her eyes followed the movements of the two children, her mind was far from focused on them. She had attended a meeting between her father and the Hylian King, Rhoam, earlier that week. Rhoam had requested permission to begin excavations in their lands in search of an ancient weapon. Despite the reservations of the Council, her father had readily agreed to help.

Mipha couldn't claim to understand the nature of the meeting or why her father was so willing to help his fellow King. When she had inquired about it in private, he had told her that it was nothing she need concern herself with. So, she had tried her best to push the event to the back of her mind, yet the memory seemed to have a mind of its own as it constantly resurfaced unbidden.

"You okay?"

Mipha's head snapped up at the sound of Link's voice.

"I am well. Thank you for your concern," she replied as she smiled warmly at him.

The Hylian frowned at her and tilted his head to the side.

"If you say so." He sat down next to her as Sidon cut through the water, chasing any fish that were around. "I'm glad you came with us."

"So am I. Thank you for inviting me."

"No problem," Link replied as his eyes followed Sidon. The young Prince would catch a fish, let it go, then turn to find more quarry.

"I'm glad that I never had to talk to him about mistreating those poor creatures."

"Hmm?"

"Some of the children will catch fish and treat them rather cruelly," Mipha sighed. "I am thankful that Sidon has always treated them compassionately."

"Me too," Link murmured. "I hate to see animals in pain."

"I know," Mipha replied warmly. The Hylian would bring birds, rabbits, or any other small creature with injuries to her and would beg her to heal them. If they were too big for him to bring to her, then he would bring her to them. She didn't mind at all. In fact, she was secretly grateful.

Mipha's Grace.

That was the name her people had given her powers. She had developed them far beyond what they had been. It had once been a struggle to reach them at all but now she could use her power at will. Day by day they had grown until she was no longer quite sure what was beyond her. Any opportunity to test herself and further refine her power was welcome.

"Link, don't be boring like my sister!" Sidon shouted as he swam towards them.

"Hey, I think your sister is pretty interesting."

Mipha fidgeted slightly. She had received far more eloquent and deserved praises but for some reason beyond her understanding, Mipha found Link's words oddly pleasing.

"Hey, why is your face red?" Sidon asked.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Y-yes, I am quite alright, thank you," she replied quickly.

She had to lean back as Sidon pushed his face into hers.

"Hey, wait. That's what your face does when you- "

"What's that?" Link asked excitedly. "Is that a Rito?"

"A Rito? Where?" Sidon asked excitedly as he jumped off Mipha. He looked around wildly for the member of the bird-like race.

"I think he flew over that way," Link whispered as he pointed up a nearby hill.

Sidon took off before either Link or Mipha could warn him to be careful.

"There isn't really a Rito, is there?"

"Nope," Link replied unconcernedly.

"He is going to be disappointed."

"I figured that you probably didn't want him asking you questions."

"Huh?"

"You did that thing where you stutter when you're nervous," Link replied with a mischievous smile.

Mipha sighed quietly. Link wasn't the most observant when it came to others and their emotions. If he could see that she was flustered, that meant that just about anyone else would see it as well. That was the last thing she wanted while she was suffering from embarrassment.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Link asked worriedly.

"Yes. I just had an embarrassing thought was all."

"I don't mean that. Ever since the King of Hyrule visited, you haven't been yourself. You're distracted all the time."

"I'm sorry Link. I have just had so much on my mind."

Link nodded with a slight frown on his face.

"Thank you for your concern."

"If you want to talk about it, let me know," he replied with a small smile.

"LLLIIINK!" came the voice of a very disgruntled Sidon as he trudged back down the hill, "there weren't any Ritos up there!"

"Sorry buddy," Link shrugged apologetically.

Sidon folded his arms and pouted.

"Now Sidon, you are far too old to behave like this."

He stuck his tongue out and glared at her.

Mipha stared back at him disapprovingly. Her brother had grown up a bit but he still acted far too childish from time to time.

Sidon laughed in delight as Link pounced from behind Mipha and tackled him into the water.

Mipha shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched the two wrestle playfully in the water. Link seemed to know how to make the people around him smile, no matter how upset they were.

"I think it would be best if we returned. It is getting late."

Sidon whined as he and Link climbed out of the water. Mipha turned to lead them back home when Link stopped her.

"I think there is something you two should know," Link started uncomfortably. "I'm going to leave soon."

Mipha's heart froze as she stared at the Hylian.

"May I ask why?" Despite how hard she tried to control her emotions, she couldn't control the quiver in her voice.

"I want to train as a Knight," Link replied as he assumed his usual pose. His grin was forced and his stance lacked its usual confidence.

"You're really leaving?" Sidon asked. Link's smile completely faded as he saw tears forming in the Prince's eyes. He picked Sidon up and set him gently on his shoulders."

"Yeah," Link replied sadly, "in a couple weeks."

"I see." Mipha tried to swallow around the lump that was forming in her throat. She fought back tears as she tried to smile.

The trio made their way back to their home in subdued silence as they all dreaded saying goodbye.

* * *

"We of the Bazz Brigade will be sorry to see you go," Bazz, the leader of the children's brigade, choked out. Behind him, his father, Sergeant Seggin, was rolling his eyes as the few adults that came to see Link off tried to maintain their serious façade.

Each member of the Brigade stepped forward in turn and gave their best salute to their departing comrade. Gaddison grinned at him as she punched him in the arm playfully. Rivan threw an arm around his shoulder and laughed with Link. Bazz thanked the Hylian for his help with his swordsmanship.

To Mipha's surprise, Seggin stepped forward. He gave Link a firm shake of the hand as he thanked the young man for instructing his son.

Kodah stepped up to Link uneasily. She looked everywhere but at him. The Hylian didn't seem to be any more comfortable than she was. Suddenly she leaped forward and hugged Link.

"I'm really sorry Linny. I've been so mean."

"I'm sorry too," Link muttered, "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

"It's okay." She stepped back and smiled at him through her tears. "Make sure you come to visit," she demanded, her usual demeanor surfacing.

Link nodded with a large smile.

Kodah retreated to her father and they left together. Kodah threw one last look at Link as she left.

The others followed her example leaving the Hylian alone with the royal family.

Link knelt to the ground and set a hand on Sidon's shoulder as the Prince asked him if he was sure he wanted to leave.

"I must say that I will be sad to see you leave," Dorephan murmured. "I know that at times, we were less than welcoming to you, however, you have been a pleasure to have as a guest. I cannot promise that our hospitality will improve in your lifetime, but I hope you know that you are always welcome here."

"Thank you, my Lord," Link replied gratefully.

"Dear heavens," Dorephan chuckled. "You are just as bad as Mipha."

Mipha gave a pained smile at her father's prodding. The King gave Link a nod and turned back to the Domain.

"Come along Sidon."

"But father- "

"It was not a request," Dorephan interrupted patiently.

"Okay…" Sidon hung his head as he trailed after his father back to the Domain.

It was the moment she had been dreading. It was again time to say goodbye to someone she cared about.

They both stood silently as they waited for the other to say something. Mipha clutched her hands in front of her, trying to find something, anything to say.

She reached out and set a hand on his shoulder and pulled him quickly into a hug.

"Do you really have to go?"

"I don't want to," Link replied sadly, "but I want to live up to my father's name."

Mipha didn't say anything for a long time. Link was convinced that it was something that he had to do. She was inclined to agree. The Hylian held himself responsible for what had happened to Ordon. Perhaps becoming a knight and gaining the ability to prevent such tragedies would finally allow him to forgive himself.

"Promise me you will come back one day." She felt horribly selfish, asking that of him. He had far more important things to worry about than her.

"I will," he assured her quietly. "This place has been, and always will be my home," he said as he pulled away from her.

Mipha's smile wasn't as forced as she looked at him. It still hurt that he was leaving but his promise to return eased it.

"So I guess it's only goodbye for now," Link laughed.

"Yes… goodbye for now."

Link gave her a small smile. He turned and began walking away. Mipha watched as his pace quickened from a brisk walk to a full out run.

The Princess didn't move from her spot as she watched her friend sprint away. Though her chest ached as she watched him fade from view, she felt oddly elated. He was leaving, but it was with the promise that they would meet again. All she could do was wait for the day that he would return.

The young Princess made her way back to the Domain as her heart traveled with the Hylian.

* * *

Mipha sat on her bed, her back against the wall as Sidon sat next to her. It was late for both of them but this was the first time that she had found the time to spend with her brother.

"Are you okay?" Sidon asked worriedly.

"I'm okay," she replied warmly as she ran her hand along the tail that came from the back of his head.

In truth, she was exhausted. Sometimes the weight of her role was almost too much. Every time that she worried that she would crack, she reminded herself that Princess Zelda's burdens were far worse. The Hylian Princess was, as of yet, still unable to access her powers.

Mipha was certain that Zelda felt alone as she struggled to find her place in the world. She had lost the support of her people while Rhoam was determined to play the part of her King rather than that of her father. Even so, Zelda strived to unlock her powers. Mipha found it admirable that the Hylian Princess worked so hard in spite of all she suffered. The Zora Princess was sometimes nearly crushed by loneliness itself.

It had been two long years since Link had left.

In that time, they had discovered a large mechanical being that King Rhoam had declared to be a Divine Beast. They had named it Ruta in honor of an ancient Zora Princess who had been especially loved by her people and had played a vital role in saving the Kingdom. No sooner had they discovered Vah Ruta, they had begun the process of selecting a pilot.

Since she had first laid eyes on it, Mipha had felt a tugging in her heart towards the Divine Beast. It was the first time since Link had left that she felt so excited. The Princess had enthusiastically put her name forward as a potential pilot but, much to her dismay had been removed just as quickly during the deliberations. The council had selected Seggin, who even past his prime, was still among the most capable of warriors.

Mipha hid her disappointment as best she could. It wasn't just that she hadn't been selected. It hurt that her name had been removed so quickly. Her father had explained that it was because she was so dear to them all that she wasn't considered. So, the young Princess did her best to accept the council's decision, holding her protests buried within.

The Sheikah scientists that had visited speculated that, since there was a lack of visible controls, Ruta must respond to the Pilot's will. To everyone's surprise, Ruta remained unresponsive to Seggin's will after it was activated.

Mipha had boarded the Divine Beast while the council reconvened. She knew there would be consequences, but she needed to know why the Divine Beast was calling. As the Princess stepped onto the platform that led inside, the itch became stronger. It was as though there was another beside her, attempting to guide her forward.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stepped into the Divine Beast. Inside were various pools of water, waterfalls that were large enough for her to swim to the upper levels. Gears, pistons, and other machinery covered the walls of Ruta's center. High above her, a waterfall powered a large turbine. Mipha speculated that was what powered the Divine Beast. She shook the thought off as the urge to traverse deeper overpowered her.

Mipha followed the call into a large room just below the center of Ruta. A thin veil of water blanketed the floor. At the far end was a large mechanism that Mipha guessed had been used to activate the Divine Beast. As she made it to the center of the room she felt a shudder pass through Ruta.

The Divine Beast let loose a trumpet of triumph as Mipha felt something brush her consciousness. A sense of elation. A desire fulfilled. The Princess was overwhelmed at first, unsure of where her mind ended, and the other began. She felt water caressing her feet, gears turning inside her. Fins floating, a trunk extending.

Eventually, Mipha was able to define what was her and what was Ruta. She still felt Ruta's mind next to her own. She shook her head and looked around her. She had fallen down at some point during her trance. The Princess tried to get up but stumbled as the Divine Beast shifted beneath her. Ruta stopped moving as Mipha froze in place.

The young Zora thought back to what the Sheikah had said about how the Beast was likely controlled. It was a struggle as she attempted to move her legs but keep Ruta still. She fell several times as her concentration lapsed time and time again. Finally, Mipha found her footing as Ruta remained mercifully still.

As she left the Divine Beast and returned to the shore, she saw the worried eyes of Muzu and Seggin and the pride in her father's eyes. After that, nothing was the same.

She was selected as the pilot of Vah Ruta despite the reservation of the council. A training regimen designed to help her navigate her bond with the Divine Beast. It took up most of the Princess' time and energy. She was sad that she no longer had much time to spend with her friends and her brother and it clashed with the sense of honor she felt of being considered worthy of being Ruta's partner.

"Are you sure? You always look so tired. Do you get enough sleep?" Sidon's concerned voice brought her back to the present. The Prince had pushed his face into hers as had been his habit since he was a small Zora.

Mipha felt terrible for leaving Sidon alone. She had avoided him for a time and now she had far too little time for him. In spite of her absence, the Prince had grown astoundingly. While he still maintained some of his childish antics, he had matched it with his seriousness for his responsibilities. At one time he would have been upset with her for her lack of attention to him but now he worried about her and her needs first.

"Don't worry about me," Mipha replied.

"If you are certain," Sidon murmured quietly. He nuzzled into her side as they continued to sit on her water bed. "I really miss you."

"And I you."

"I hope that we can be a real family again soon," he yawned.

"What do you mean?"

"Link is gone, you are always busy, even Father doesn't have time for me anymore."

"Link?"

"He's like the older brother I never had," Sidon murmured sleepily. "Besides, you smiled more when he was around."

Guilt washed over Mipha. She had never realized just how much Link had meant to Sidon. She had been so focused on her own loneliness that it hadn't even crossed her mind that the Prince had also lost someone. Now that it had, she realized that he had lost even more than she.

"I am so sorry, Sidon. I have been so- "

She was cut off by a soft snore from her younger brother. She smiled down at him. His face seemed younger now as the weight of his responsibilities were forgotten for a brief moment. It pained her to finally see how much he had been forced to grow up.

She gently picked him up and cradled him as she left her room. Sidon curled in closer as she walked the short distance to his room. She struggled to place him in his bed. She didn't want to leave him alone anymore but she couldn't abandon her duties.

"Please don't go," Sidon mumbled through his sleep as he grabbed her retreating hand. His voice sounded so small and defenseless.

Mipha decided as she lay down next to him that for once being a sister could be more important than being a Princess.

* * *

She looked up at her father, trying to mask her excitement and impatience. The council had chosen to convene at the worst possible time. Not long after it had begun, Sidon had quietly entered and informed her excitedly that Link had returned.

She wanted to be finished with her current task. As she continued watching her father, she noticed that the King was paying far more attention to her than he was to Muzu. Finally, the Elder finished his report.

"Thank you Muzu," Dorephan said. "I am afraid that Lady Mipha will be leaving us."

Mipha was as shocked as the members of the council.

"She has other tasks to attend to at the moment," Dorephan replied in answer to everyone's unasked question.

Mipha politely excused herself and removed herself from the throne room far more slowly and more gracefully than she wanted to. It was short lived though for as soon as she was out of sight she quickened her pace. She caught sight of a familiar mess of blonde hair as she made her way down the steps that led to the center of the Domain.

The fact that Link was taller didn't surprise her. The fact that Sidon seemed to have reverted back to a younger child didn't surprise her. The other Hylian surprised her greatly.

He had short brown hair and mischievous green eyes. He may have been a bit taller than Link but it was difficult to tell seeing as he was chasing Sidon around the center fountain.

She smiled as she watched the young man chase her brother making loud growls as Sidon shouted in delight. She eventually found herself next to Link.

"Hey, Mipha," he greeted quietly.

"Link," she replied warmly, "how have you been?"

"Good."

Mipha's smile melted slightly. Link was quieter than he used to be. It was a pained sound as though his voice was suffering from a lack of use.

"How are you."

"I am well, thank you."

"Ha! You're so slow compared to Link!" Sidon cried out as he just managed to stay out of the Hylian's grasp. Mipha giggled as she watched the two. The young man who had accompanied Link would slow down if he got too close to the Prince and would throw his arms sloppily around. She appreciated his efforts to indulge her brother.

"So who is this," Mipha asked.

"Owen," Link replied with a grin.

"Owen! But I thought…"

"I did too," Link replied quietly. "He found me not long after I started my training."

"That's fantastic news." Knowing that her friend was not alone relieved her greatly.

"It was awesome," Link replied as boyish enthusiasm crept back into his voice.

"I must say that he isn't all that different from what I imagined."

Link laughed at that. She hadn't realized how much she missed the sound.

"He'd surprise you," he chuckled.

"I should have known you were the reason behind Lady Mipha's unorthodox departure," Muzu growled as he came up behind them. The Elder's hands were clasped behind his back as he stared down his nose at Link. "I still cannot possibly imagine what you see in this-this- "

"So you're old Grumpy Gills, right?" Mipha flinched as Link's friend materialized next to her.

"How dare you?" Muzu screeched. "I'll have you know that I am- "

"Definitely Grumpy," Owen finished cheekily. "And who might you be my lovely Lady?" he asked Mipha with a grand bow.

"That is Lady Mipha," Muzu snarled, "and you will treat her with- "

"Mipha? So you're the fish girl he never shuts up about?" Owen asked as he gestured to Link with a thumb.

Mipha suppressed a cringe as Muzu's rage increased by the second. The old Zora stepped towards Owen aggressively, opening his mouth to lecture the Hylian. Mipha frowned as Owen glanced at Link and gave him a wink.

"Prince Sidon!" Owen declared loudly, completely ignoring Muzu, "I, Sir Owen, challenge you to a duel!"

"Absolutely not!"

"I accept your challenge!" Sidon proclaimed.

Hylian and Zora began advancing towards each other as Muzu's meltdown progressed further still. Just before they reached each other Owen sprinted away from the Zora Prince.

"Hey! Get back here coward!" Sidon called giddily. The young Prince dashed after Owen's retreating form.

"Sidon! Get back here at once! Si- "

Mipha was left speechless as the irate Elder charged after the two "combatants."

"I have never seen Muzu so upset," she finally said dazedly.

"I didn't think he could move that fast," a wide-eyed Link replied.

The two friends looked at each other and started chuckling. Mipha's hand covered her mouth and Link doubled over as their chuckles became full-blown laughter.

Eventually, their mirth subsided. Link straightened and looked at her. Her smiled faded as she saw Pain in his eyes. She reached a hand out to him. It stung her as he reached to take her hand hesitantly as though he didn't really want to come with her.

She guided him gently away from the Domain, intending to lead him to where they had watched Naydra years ago. As she led him along the path leading to the top of the veiled falls, Mipha watched him out of the corner of her eye. There was little to nothing she could glean. His expression was blank and his movements were stiff and controlled.

They finally arrived at the crest of the falls. Mipha sat gracefully and motioned for Link to join her. He obliged slowly and carefully.

She stared at him sadly as he looked everywhere but at her.

"Link… what's wrong?"

He rubbed the back of his head and refused to meet her eyes.

"It's just been really… difficult," he finally sighed.

She said nothing as she waited for him to continue. Link managed a subdued smile.

"I really shouldn't complain," he muttered.

Mipha reached out and took one his hands into both of her own as he retreated into himself.

"You don't have to bear this burden alone, Link."

Her heart broke for him as she saw Longing in his eyes.

"I'm… really glad to be home."

She pulled him into a hug. The Princess was worried when he remained limp but eventually his arms wrapped around her as he returned her hug.

Naydra didn't appear that night, leaving the two friends alone to make up for two long years.

* * *

Mipha slowly made her way through the Domain. She wanted to put off saying goodbye for as long as she could. The Princess had seen the Knight in training off many times but that never made it any easier. It only became harder each time.

The Zora again doubted the decision she had made. She wondered if she should have brought the armor that she had made for him. She had crafted it painstakingly, going so far as to recruit Owen to help her obtain Link's measurements.

The Miracle of the White Scale was her favorite story that her mother would tell her. It was the legend of a King who, despite his inability as a warrior, led his army into battle against an army of Lizalfo. His Queen, fearing for his safety, created for him a special set of armor. Within it, she sewed her White Scale, a scale that only female Zora grew, into it, hoping that her love for him would protect him.

The Lizalfo general was cunning and cornered the ancient King. Before the monster could strike the King down, a beam from the sun reflected off the Queen's scale and blinded the opposing general. The King, seizing the opening that had been given to him, pushed the monster back and was able to lead his army to victory.

The tale had inspired the tradition for each generation's princess to craft a set of armor for the man she chose to wed. Mipha had chosen to follow the tradition with Link.

She pushed her doubts aside. It was not the right time to present him with it.

It pained her but she didn't have time to devote to such matters so she chose to wait. She and three others, along with the Hylian Princess, had been named Champions of Hyrule. King Rhoam and his daughter had been impressed with her abilities when it came to piloting Ruta, however, they desired more from her. Her training had stepped up after her first meeting with Rhoam.

Before her training had been to help her command Ruta efficiently. She had mastered the art of moving the Divine Beast while performing some other unrelated menial task. Now she was expected to be able to spar several opponents at once while maintaining control over the Divine Beast.

King Rhoam had been satisfied with her initial abilities. When he saw her progress with combat training, he had praised her far more than her father or Seggin had. The praise had embarrassed her greatly. That was until she saw Princess Zelda's reaction. The Hylian Princess had given her an envious look.

Mipha let out a small sigh as she reached the edge of the Domain. There was so much that required her attention and so little time to devote to those things. She had managed to repair her relationship with Zelda and excelled at her duties as a Champion and as a Princess.

As a friend, she felt that she failed miserably. In Link's most recent visit, she had barely been able to make any time for him. She had only been able to spare a few minutes here and there for her old friend. She felt selfish asking him to marry her when he would always have to come second to her responsibilities.

So she made up her mind to wait as the two Hylians came into view. Sidon was already there, taking his usual place on Link's shoulders. Clustered around the two were the Bazz Brigade.

"So, ready to hold up your end of the bargain?" Owen asked with a large grin.

"Yes," Mipha replied graciously. This was going to be painful to watch but she intended to uphold her end of the bargain.

"Then here I go," Owen grinned as he walked away.

Link sent her a questioning gaze.

"He helped me with a special project, and I promised to heal him in return."

Link frowned.

"He isn't going to try and 'woo' Gaddison is he?" Mipha asked worriedly. Owen had set his sights on the light violet Zora not long after his first visit. She had rejected him relatively kindly at first, but as time went on and his efforts didn't abate, the Zora girl had resorted to… more violent methods of turning him down.

Sidon giggled hysterically while Link nodded and rolled his eyes.

"Oh dear," Mipha sighed. It was too late to dissuade the Hylian. All they could do was wait.

Right on cue, Owen shouted in pain. Not even a second later, Gaddison began yelling at him angrily.

"So, how was your latest attempt to win her over?" Mipha asked, wincing slightly as Owen hobbled up to her.

"A minor setback," Owen muttered through his discomfort.

"Maybe it's time to move on," Mipha murmured gently as she healed his latest injuries.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. "This is the worst time to give up!"

"What?"

"She definitely likes me," Owen sighed contentedly. Mipha could do nothing but stare at him speechlessly. She looked to Link in the hopes that he had some idea of what could be done. To her surprise, Link was staring at Gaddison. She sent a glance to the Zora girl to find her staring off into the distance with a small smile.

She had seen many oddities in her years. An ancient race of warriors devoted to the Royal Family of Hyrule, technology from another time that responded to her will; her own healing powers were beyond her understanding. In spite of all she had seen, she had never expected to see anything so peculiar as Owen actually winning Gaddison over.

Mipha shook her head and Link sighed. They finally made eye contact and smiled at each other.

She hated to see him go again. By the time he came back, he would have retreated further into himself as he always had. It saddened her to see him like that. He rarely spoke anymore, only doing so when it was just the two of them. Even Sidon had noticed that Link had changed, however, he had developed the tact to not comment on it.

"Well," Mipha sighed, "I suppose this is goodbye, isn't it?"

She graced Owen with a smile and pulled Link into a tight hug.

"It's only goodbye for now," Link whispered.

"I'll miss you just the same," she replied.

_She and the rest of the Bazz Brigade watched as the Hylians made their way along the path that led towards Hyrule Field. It was still hard for her to see him leave, even though he always promised to return. All she could do was wait and hope that she had made the right choice._

* * *

Mipha was greeted by the familiarity of her ceiling as she opened her eyes. She closed them once again, reflecting on everything she had remembered. Ever since waking in the Shrine of Resurrection, she had felt a connection with Link. She couldn't say she was surprised that she had decided to propose to him. Even at his worst, he was among the best she had ever known.

She sat up slowly and gazed around her room. Sidon and Muzu sat beside her bed. Muzu was hunched over as he slept. Sidon nodded forward and jolted back, only for his head to sink back down. It reminded her of the first time he had attended a council. Despite his exhaustion and boredom, he had attempted to refrain from nodding off. He had been less than successful.

"Sidon," she murmured. The young Prince jolted awake.

"Wha-?" he asked tiredly. His eyes widened as they settled on her. "Mipha," he murmured. He moved forward to embrace her but stopped just as quickly.

A lump formed in the back of Mipha's throat as she watched him open his mouth and closed it again. He looked away.

"I should be overjoyed that you have come back," he muttered, "and I am. But if I am to be truly honest I am terribly… terribly…" The young Prince was unable to finish as he took a strained breath.

"You are upset," Mipha finished.

"I know you didn't mean to leave us. I know you didn't mean to leave me," Sidon continued as his voice cracked, "but how could you do that?"

Mipha swallowed as she tried to hold her tears back.

"It's awful, I know. Here you are after one hundred years, alive and well. Yet I am still so angry."

"Sidon…"

"Why?" he asked, his voice beginning to rise. "Why didn't you come back? Why did it take you so long? Don't you realize how much I needed you?" Sidon took a deep breath. "Why am I still so angry?" he asked shakily.

Mipha looked on, full of sorrow as her baby brother sat, breathing shakily, clenching his fists, again refusing to look at her.

"Do you remember mother?" she finally asked.

"What?" Sidon asked, his face twisting in confusion. "What does mother have to do with this?"

"Do you?"

"Barely," he sighed.

"After she died, I was so terribly angry with her. I should have been celebrating her life but instead, I think I hated her." Mipha stared down at her bed in shame as she continued, "I wanted to yell such horrible things at her. I wanted her to know that she was an awful mother, to leave me all alone."

She looked back up at Sidon.

"I cannot imagine how hard this must be for you and I won't pretend otherwise. It is okay if you are angry. It's okay if you hate- "

She was cut off as Sidon leapt forward and wrapped her in a bone-crushing embrace.

"I could never hate you," Sidon choked out. "I just need time to work through this."

"I never meant to hurt you," Mipha murmured quietly.

"I know… I'm so sorry."

"You have no reason to be."

"I've missed you terribly."

"And I you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I owe you guys an apology. I am sorry for not responding to comments. Every time I click on the reply button and see the words "limited HTML" I get really scared. I do actually read your comments and appreciate them greatly. I will try to be better about responding in the future.


	10. Zora's Domain

"So what should I tell Mipha?"

Link's face slackened in surprise momentarily but quickly hardened again as he tried to shake her off.

"So what should I tell her? That her dear friend didn't care enough about her too-"

"Shut up," Link interrupted coldly as his fire-filled eyes bored into her.

Urbosa's eyebrows crawled up her forehead. She continued to hold onto his arm even though he had yet to attempt another charge towards the Lizalfo encampment.

Her Hylian companion had been having an episode since they had departed the tower. Whatever he had seen had drawn him so far into himself that she had been forced to guide him along most of the precarious path to Zora's Domain.

It was an irritating and taxing journey at best. She had not made nearly the progress she had hoped for. The Gerudo Champion had taken Gruve's warning to heart. She navigated the winding path cautiously, stopping every few meters to analyze her surroundings for threats, keeping a firm grip on Link the entire time.

As they had been making their way next to a cliff face, a black form fell towards them from above. Urbosa, adrenaline racing through her system, had sped Link and herself under the nearest overhang. She pressed herself against the cliff face as she thanked Hylia for Midna's intelligence. The wolf had followed Urbosa's lead and had made herself as small as possible.

Glancing back had revealed a Lizalfo with a gaping hole in its chest. Urbosa, not believing that its killer was benign, had scaled up the cliff to investigate.

At the top, she found the largest Lizalfo camp she had seen. Walking towards it was a white Lizalfo. She cursed quietly as the lizard-like monster ambled onwards. Ordinary monsters would be problem enough. Adding a white Lizalfo into the mix put whoever they attacked at a serious disadvantage.

A brief rustling accompanied by the sound of a blade being unsheathed quietly had been all the warning she had received. Her hand had lashed out, quick as lightning, to grab the Hylian that had followed her up.

"What good will charging down there do?"

His lips tightened until they were the palest shade of white.

"What do you want?" he finally asked quietly.

"I want you to stop and think for one dinforsaken moment. You charge down there now and the only chance the Zora will have of mounting a proper defense will die with us."

"How so?"

"You know they can't climb and it doesn't look like there is any other way up here, even from the other side. Unless they have magic or technology we don't know about, I would think it's safe to say that they have no idea what they're up against."

His expression told her he was unconvinced.

"I won't claim to know or understand what's going through your head right now but I will tell you one thing. No matter what it is, it doesn't excuse such rash actions."

"And why not?" he snapped as his fist slammed into a nearby rock.

"Because our lives don't just belong to us," Urbosa replied with all the patience she could muster. "They also belong to all the people who are relying on us."

Link gave her a long, hard look. Eventually, the tension left his body as he sighed. Urbosa followed him as he jumped off the cliff, both pulling out their paragliders midway through the fall. As soon as they landed Link began making his way along the path as though the last few minutes hadn't happened.

Urbosa followed him, watching the young Hylian's back carefully. The expression she had seen on his face, or lack thereof, concerned her greatly. She had worried that his emotions would rule him. Now she was worried that he was shutting it all out. Emotions could either be a warrior's friend or enemy.

Anger, fear, and sorrow. When controlled, they could motivate and even strengthen one. When uncontrolled, they hindered one. Emotions could lead to an end faster than any enemy's blade could. By the same token, suppressing them could be just as detrimental; they reminded one of the reasons they fought. It gave them a reason to stand back up when beaten down. It was a delicate but vital balance.

A balance that Link still lacked.

"The biggest threat is the shock arrows," Link said suddenly, breaking Urbosa from her musings.

"Hmm? They have shock arrows?"

She was surprised when he nodded. Maybe she was wrong about how blind he had been. That held little comfort for her though. It only proved that his courage was accompanied by an equal measure of foolishness.

"We should have brought the others," Link muttered.

"Even if we had, there would be little they could do. Revali would be far too hampered by the rain and Daruk would be more of a problem than anything else. The best we can do is free the Divine Beast quickly and make some sort of plan to deal with them."

The trio walked silently through the torrential downpour. Urbosa, like Midna, had given up on attempting to manage the amount of water in her hair and instead allowed the coming battles to distract her from her discomfort. The constant, cold tapping on her skin was maddening but she pushed it aside. She had far more pressing issues that required her attention.

The tips of her fingers gently massaged her temple. The days ahead were going to be long indeed.

* * *

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Sidon stated as he and Mipha walked through the Domain.

"Yes?"

"Seeing you again has caused me to spend a great deal of time thinking about the past. I remember there was a Hylian that you and I spent a lot of time with. May I ask about him?"

"Link?"

"Link?" Sidon murmured as he hooked his index finger on his chin. "That name does seem familiar… Ah! I am sorry!" he exclaimed.

"For what?" Mipha asked worriedly. They were coming up on the throne room quickly. Though Sidon had matured in her absence, she knew he would still have an infinite number of questions. She wanted to prepare him for the shock before she faced her father. It would be easier than trying to answer both of their questions at the same time.

"That was a long time ago. He is likely long dead," Sidon replied sadly. "I am far too careless with my words sometimes."

"Sidon, Link is still- " Mipha's eyes widened as they found an old, black Zora attempting to touch a shock arrow. He shouted in pain as an arc jumped from the arrow to his outstretched hand. "That is enough!"

"Lady Mipha?" Seggin asked in wonder. He looked away quickly while wiping his eyes. "Forgive me," he muttered gruffly, "I never thought I would see you again."

"Nonsense! We are all overjoyed by my sister's return!"

"Seggin, why are you doing this to yourself?"

"I am training myself to better withstand shock arrows so that I put an end to that fell beasts rampage," Seggin replied proudly. "I, the so-called Demon Sergeant, will do now what I could not one hundred years ago!"

"You must stop this," Mipha replied disapprovingly as she took his hand. She frowned at the burn marks that marred his palms. "You are only doing yourself harm."

"I will protect our home… and you." Seggin still wouldn't look at her. He turned away from her again when she tried to move into his field of view. "I will do what that Hylian couldn't."

"You will not," she replied firmly but gently. "Ruta is my responsibility."

"I will not allow it!"

"For once it would seem that we are in agreement," Muzu interjected as he approached from the direction of the throne room. "We nearly lost you once. I will not allow you to be put in danger so needlessly again."

"Hyrule needs me."

"Let the Hylians dig themselves out of the hole that they fell into. Had they taken a moment to think before they attempted to use ancient technology and involve- "

"Enough Muzu," Sidon interrupted quietly. The Elder gave the Prince an enraged stare.

"You forget yourself Prince Sidon," Muzu replied tightly.

"Was it not you who constantly chided Sidon and myself for not taking our duties seriously?"

"Muzu is right," Seggin growled, jumping back into the argument. "We nearly lost you because your Hylian _friend_ wasn't half the champion he should have been."

"You were friends with the Hylian Champion?" Sidon asked excitedly.

"He was no friend of hers. That impudent little- "

"Father told me that he was the one who carried her to safety. To carry an ally off the field of battle-" Sidon murmured as he closed his eyes thoughtfully "-he must have been among the truest of friends!" the Prince cried as his eyes sprung open and his arms went wide. Mipha noticed that Seggin's eyes widened as Sidon had spoken.

"Link used you both to prevent our King from exiling him from the Domain as he should have been. He felt nothing but contempt for the both of you."

"Link? The same Link that we used to play with?" Sidon asked Mipha.

"Yes. He and Lady Urbosa, another Champion, are on their way here now," Mipha answered.

Mipha took a deep breath as she was accosted by three confused Zora. She quickly explained how she had awoken in the Shrine of Resurrection and the events that followed. The confusion quickly turned to rage on the part of the elders and excitement on Sidon's.

"We must speak with your father at once!" Muzu shrieked. He spun on his heel and stomped towards the throne room.

Seggin stared between Muzu's retreating form and Mipha, seeming unsure of what he should do. Finally, he gave her a long look.

"He carried you off the battlefield?" he asked uncertainly.

"That is what father said," Sidon jumped in after Mipha failed to reply.

"That is… not what I was led to believe." Seggin stared at the ground uneasily for a long moment. "Do you still trust him?" he finally asked as he looked at her.

"I do."

"Very well," Seggin responded as he straightened, "I have no love for him but if you are certain that he is trustworthy, I won't interfere."

"Thank you Seggin."

Her instructor gave her pained smile. He nodded and excused himself, citing that he needed time to think.

Mipha watched the old warrior as he wandered away. Seeing how he had aged was yet another reminder of how much time she had lost during her slumber. She had never desired to age but now she wished that she had grown older alongside them all. The experience was a novel for her. An unpleasant one.

"Hmm," Sidon hummed to himself. He had again closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "I think that Muzu will likely bar any Hylians from entering before he even speaks to father."

"But I will need their help…" The Princess had attempted to reach out to the Divine Beast, hoping to soothe her old friend. Reaching Ruta's consciousness had been far more difficult than she remembered it being. What was more, when she had finally reached Ruta, she had been forced to withdraw almost immediately. Ruta's mind was a festering wasteland of pain, fear, and malicious intent. A few seconds spent within the intimate bond had left her nauseous and barely able to stand. Her hopes of being able to calm Ruta with her presence were dashed before she had even laid eyes on the ancient machine.

"You should speak to father. He has been waiting to see you."

"I do wish to see him but first I need to make sure that Link and Urbosa can get in."

"Leave that to me." Sidon assumed his confident pose. Without another word, the Prince dashed off towards the entrance to their home.

She sincerely wished that he hadn't run off. It left her to face her father and an irate elder alone. She knew that her absence would have weighed heavily on the King. But it wasn't just the pain that she had caused that kept her in place.

When she had been crafting Link's armor, she had stored it in a hidden compartment in her desk. She had been surprised to discover that it was no longer hidden. There was only one other place that it would be.

Most likely with her father.

He had always had a knack for seeing past the walls that others constructed around themselves. It was his way to allow them to operate as though he were blind to it. He had probably known that she was crafting it and even who it was for.

She took several deep breaths, hoping to calm herself before she would greet her father. It didn't help.

Regardless, the Zora Princess held her head high and strode up the steps to the throne room with more confidence then she felt.

* * *

Dorephan listened patiently as Muzu repeated his tirade about Hylians and their untrustworthiness. The King had to suppress a chuckle as he wondered if the Elder had written it down and practiced it every night. When compared to his previous rants, the speech was near verbatim.

He perked up as his daughter glided into the throne room with the same grace that he remembered.

"That will do. Thank you Muzu," he said graciously during a pause in the old Zora's rant. "Now if you will excuse me, I would speak to my daughter alone."

"But my Lord- "

All he had to do was raise a brow. Muzu had long since learned that the action meant that it was time for him to stop.

"Very well," Muzu sighed. The Elder held his hands behind his back and stalked out of the room.

The King was unused to impatience. He had learned in his younger years, after watching his own father's shortcomings, that patience was a necessary quality for a leader. He had to suppress the urge to snap at his advisor to move faster. His gaze flicked back to his daughter after Muzu had finally departed.

"Hello, my dear. It's been quite some time, has it not?"

"Father," she murmured dazedly as she had to crane her neck back to look him in the eye. He chortled as her expression became no more comprehending.

"What is it, my dear? Were you perhaps expecting someone smaller?"

"Um…"

"As diplomatic as ever I see," he joked lightly. His grin faded into a small smile. Purah hadn't been exaggerating when she claimed that it would be as though Mipha had never been gone.

Yet he still battled with grief as he held his child in his eyes. In a sense, he had still lost her. The time that had been lost in her absence could never be regained; not for him, her, her brother, or her friends. He could not help but worry that it would hang over all their heads for decades to come.

"I'm so sorry..." Mipha had bowed her head with closed eyes. "I never meant to- "

"It has never been in your nature to intentionally cause pain. I am just happy to see you once again." He reached down and gently scooped her up, chuckling slightly as she squeaked. He brought her to his chest and held her there. A slight grin tugged at his lips as Mipha attempted to wrap her arms around him. "Am I difficult to hug?"

"Not at all," she replied quickly.

"So yes. No wonder your brother stopped trying." He set her back down and regarded her carefully. He could see his struggles to keep tears at bay reflected in her eyes. His smile faded completely as he continued, "as much as I want to continue our reunion, there are other matters that we must discuss."

Mipha nodded solemnly.

"First and foremost is the Divine Beast. I know that you are planning to do what you can to appease Ruta." He held up a hand to quiet her as she attempted to speak, "Whatever you have planned, I do not intend to stop you. As little as I may like it, Ruta is your responsibility. That being said, I will not allow you to venture to the Divine Beast alone."

Mipha nodded hesitantly.

"Now am I correct in assuming that Link is on his way here?"

"He is," she replied with no small amount of surprise.

"Purah informed me that if the shrine you were placed in worked properly, you all would be kept in near perfect condition," he said, answering her unasked her question. "Now then, Link's imminent arrival- " he continued as he pulled out a familiar tunic "- brings us to this."

He watched her take a few deep breaths.

"I don't think now is the best time," she murmured as she shifted her weight.

"The decision rests with you my dear but he may need it if he is to help you storm the Divine Beast."

"I suppose…"

He watched her as she continued fidgeting before him. Under normal circumstances, he would have given her more time to make a decision as personal as this one. Unfortunately, the current situation would not allow for that.

"Perhaps we should give it to him when he arrives but wait to discuss its implications until after Ruta has been dealt with."

He didn't like the pained look that stained her face.

"That may be for the best," she finally replied. "I don't believe that I will be able to calm Ruta on my own."

"Very well. Shall I present it to him then?"

"Please do."

"As you wish but my dear- " Dorephan continued grimly "- it will be up to you to inform him of the armor's significance and what his acceptance or rejection means."

"... I understand."

"That is good. Why don't you open that chest there while I summon Muzu and your brother? They know of the armor's existence and I want to ensure that they do not say anything… untoward."

He was about to call the guard waiting just outside the throne room when he heard several sets of footsteps.

He sighed as it dawned on him that he wouldn't have time to speak with Muzu and Sidon beforehand. Sidon rarely picked up on subtlety but that could be worked around. Muzu was the one that worried him. He hoped that for once the Elder would be agreeable.

* * *

Link smiled inwardly as he stepped into the throne room. Besides the large statue of Mipha in the city's center and how much his friends had grown, not much had changed. He hoped the same would be true for the King. He remembered liking Dorephan. The Zora King had always treated him as though he were an old friend in their exchanges, few as they were.

His internal smile morphed into an external gape as he took in the King. His memories must be extraordinarily faulty. He remembered Dorephan being large but the King was much larger than he had expected.

"I must say, it is good to see you again, Link."

He grinned and gave the gargantuan Zora a nod.

"I see that after all this time you still haven't learned any manners." Link held in a chuckle. Seeing the flat-topped Elder brought some of Owen's pranks back to the surface. He felt a pang for his childhood friend. He still wasn't sure what had become of him.

"How he chooses to respond is of no concern to me."

"You are far too lenient, my Lord."

"And you are inflexible," Dorephan replied casually.

"Hmph!"

"You are a new face," Dorephan said as he sized Urbosa up. "May I presume you are the Lady Urbosa."

"Have you heard of me?" Urbosa asked with mock surprise.

"You did have quite the reputation as I recall. Welcome to our beloved Domain. I promise that our climate isn't always so… unpleasant."

"I hope so," she muttered darkly as she wrung her sopping hair out.

"I am afraid that until Vah Ruta has been appeased, the rain will not let up."

"Fantastic. I'm glad that I was preserved for one hundred years so I could stop rain."

"You will address the King with- "

"Enough Muzu. Were you in the Gerudo desert, I doubt you would be any more cordial."

Link foot began tapping as he listened to Muzu and Dorephan argue over Urbosa's manner. There was work to be done and here they were, debating whether or not Dorephan should accept Urbosa's shortness. He looked around restlessly, finding the Prince of the Domain watching the conversation with rapt attention. When he had last seen Sidon, he had been able to carry the Zora on his shoulders. Now, at twice his own height, Sidon would have to carry Link on his shoulders. He wanted to see Muzu's reaction to that.

"Is Ruta still floating in the East Reservoir Lake?" He was relieved to see that Mipha was doing well. He wondered if she had regained some of her memories. He hoped that she lacked the same gaps in her memories that he had.

"Yes. I trust that the two of you will be accompanying my daughter."

"I will not," Urbosa answered as Link gave his affirmation. He threw the Gerudo Champion a frown. "Large amounts of water and I don't get along."

"Then why _grace_ us with your presence, _fair Champion_."

"Muzu! She is a foreign dignitary. Please show my father's guests respect."

"Thank you, Prince Sidon, but I think I can handle an old, racist fish on my own," Urbosa replied pleasantly as she gave Muzu a withering look. "Don't worry, _most esteemed advisor,_ I won't spend my time here idly."

"Is that so?"

"Well, I certainly don't intend to spend any more time than necessary in your presence."

"That is quite enough." Everyone silenced themselves as Dorephan spoke. "I had hoped that we could all set aside our differences in order to do what we must for our homes. It would seem my faith was misplaced."

Link was surprised when Shame flashed across Muzu's face.

"I apologize for my uncouth behavior... Lady Urbosa."

Dorephan cut Sidon off as he was about to jump in, likely to demand an apology on Link's behalf. He wasn't bothered. For some reason, he appreciated Muzu's open disdain for him.

"I trust you will share your reasons for remaining after we are done here."

"Yes. There's a lot we need to discuss."

Dorephan nodded and focused on Link. "I have something that will aid you. This- " he continued as he held an armored tunic out to Link "- has been enchanted. It will not only assist you with swimming but also allow you to swim up waterfalls as well."

"I will not allow this!" Muzu screeched. "You go too far! To give the armor that your daughter painstakingly crafted to one such as him! And right in front of her as well- " Muzu was immune to both Sidon's and Dorephan's attempts to quiet him. "Have you not considered how she feels?!"

"Muzu!" The throne room was filled with the loudest quiet as all eyes turned to Mipha.

"You cannot mean to go along with this! That armor was not meant for him!"

"It was," Mipha replied shakily.

"Lady Mipha there is no- "

"Put the armor on," Dorephan boomed.

Link had no idea what was going on but he wanted to stay out of it. Dorephan's firm look offered him no asylum, only commanding him to do as he was told. Link nodded and stripped off his tunic. He pulled on the dark blue armor that had been gifted to him. It fit him perfectly.

"What-I-but…." Muzu stared at Link in disbelief, not quite able to understand what he saw. Suddenly the Elder deflated, seeming to cave in on himself further and further by the second. "I see," he finally choked out.

"Muzu," Mipha called softly as she reached out to him.

"I must excuse myself," he continued shakily as he shrunk away from her.

Link frowned. He wasn't fond of the old Zora but it still left him ill at ease to know that he had somehow caused Muzu grief. He shoved it aside for the time being. There was little, if anything, he could do.

"I will excuse myself as well," Mipha added somberly. The Princess followed after Muzu quickly.

Link sighed. He felt as though his return had done far more harm than good.

"That could have gone better," Urbosa muttered.

"Indeed. That was a conversation we should have had long ago," Dorephan sighed. "Muzu, as you well noticed, has a low tolerance for the other races, especially Hylians. He blames them for the Great Calamity. I apologize for his behavior."

Link just shrugged as Dorephan gave him a pointed gaze. Muzu had never particularly liked him but that didn't concern him. Some people were just not made to get along.

"As forgiving as ever I see. Now tell me, young man, do you remember any of our traditions?"

"Only a bit."

"I see," Dorephan murmured. Link shifted his weight back and forth as Dorephan frowned at him thoughtfully. "After Vah Ruta has been appeased, you, Mipha, and I need to have a conversation."

Link nodded slowly.

"Good. Now then, I am certain that you have much catching up to do with your friends. Sidon, if you would?"

"Absolutely. Just follow me."

Link nodded to Sidon and followed the Zora Prince out into the wide expanses of the Domain, carrying his worries with him all the way.

* * *

Urbosa tapped her cheek with an index finger as she followed her guide. Dunma, a member of the Royal Guard, was escorting her to a workshop where she would find a woman named Purah. Supposedly, this Sheikah scientist had a way to combat a Zora's weak resistance to electricity. It had originally been intended for Seggin to use in his attempt to disable the Divine Beast. Dorephan hoped that, whatever the solution was, it could be repurposed for the coming fight.

She figured that their best hope was to draw the opposing army down onto the path. There they may be able to choke the incoming forces off and use the natural cover to avoid their archers. It wasn't a brilliant plan but she didn't know how long they had and they needed some sort of plan.

Her ruminating was cut short as she heard a young girl shout and a small sphere flew out of a room ahead of them.

Her guide gave an irritated sigh as she led Urbosa to the door.

"Be careful," Dunma grumbled. "She's in a worse mood than normal."

"Thanks," Urbosa replied with a short nod. Without another word, she strode into the workshop.

In the center of the room, amidst piles of machinery and bits of metal, was a small girl who hollered at a middle-aged man right in front of her.

"- honestly! Is it impossible for you to walk five feet without dropping something? I have a half a mind to - "

"Sorry to interrupt but I was hoping you two could help me," Urbosa cut in politely.

The red-faced young girl whirled around to face her.

"Urbosa… is that really you? You haven't aged a day!" the child cried.

"Do we know each other?"

"It's me, Purah. Don't tell me you don't remember me."

"I don't," Urbosa answered apologetically. She didn't have the beginnings of an idea who this was or how she could even know Urbosa. She would have to be over one hundred years old but she looked like a six-year-old. She supposed there were stranger things.

"So rude!" she replied as she stamped her foot. "I guess that's to be expected though. What can I do for you?"

"King Dorephan told me you may have a way around the Zora's weakness to electricity. Is that true?"

"Yep!" Purah chirped as she twirled around. "I'll spare you all the finer details but it should be done soon. But if you're here, do we really need it?"

"Yes. Link and Mipha will handle the Divine Beast but there's another problem."

"What's that."

"An army of Lizalfo with shock weapons," Urbosa replied casually.

Purah blinked at her several times.

"That sounds bad…"

"Symin… we have an army wielding weapons that the Zora are weak to while we haven't even finished the prototype armor, all the while a Divine Beast is trying to flood Hyrule and the only thing you can think to say is that sounds bad?"

"Well- "

"Just be quiet." Purah suddenly snapped her fingers, perking up as she did so. Urbosa stared at the girl's fingers. Something about the action stirred something within her. "Hey, still with us?"

"Yes, just a stray thought."

"Hmm. Well like I was saying, it won't do us any good to sit here and mope. Let's get to work."

"But we've worked so diligently these past days and barely- "

"Lives are at stake, Symin! Now give me a snap and get to work."

Symin frowned at her with a dazed look on his face. Urbosa shook her head as the girl stared at him impatiently. There was no time for childish antics.

"If it's a snap you want, I am more than willing to oblige," she stated as she readied her fingers.

"What? NO!"

Urbosa frowned slightly as she placed her hand on a hip.

"Seriously Urbosa," Purah continued nervously, "sometimes you take your teasing too far."

"Huh?"

"This is Zora's Domain. Do you really think calling a lightning bolt here is a good idea, even if it is just a joke?"

"Lightning?"

"You really have forgotten just about everything, haven't you?" Purah asked morosely. She bit her lip indecisively. "Symin, go make yourself a nuisance for Dento to deal with. Come on Urbosa," she said as she motioned towards the door, "let's show you how to be a real pain."

Urbosa sighed as she followed Purah out of the room. Her day continued to get weirder and weirder.

* * *

Revali grimaced as he pulled another arrow out of a dead bokoblin and inspected it. He tossed it aside when he saw that the top had snapped off. He let out a frustrated sigh as he looked around the clearing. Small fry like this was a distraction at best. Without much thought, he took off into the skies above.

He unconsciously angled back towards the stable as his thoughts drifted away. He wasn't sure why he was frustrated about being left behind. He kept telling himself it was because the three that did go were the least deserving of praise but no matter how much he told himself that was all, there was a part of him that argued with the idea.

No matter how much he tried to shove it off, there were constant worries about what would happen to them while they were away. Even with Mipha, all it took was one wrong move and one or all of them wouldn't return.

He had tried tuning his bow but had been paying so little attention that he snapped the bowstring. He had tried sorting through his personal supplies but he had to constantly restart as he kept losing track. Eventually, he began pacing back and forth for long periods of time. Daruk had taken notice of it and tried to ask him about it. He had more or less told the Goron to shove off.

He set down gently as he reached the stable. He stood where he landed as he looked off towards Zora's Domain. He shook himself as he took a step right into something large and stony.

"Hey, Revali."

"What?"

"Just sayin hi. You've kept to yourself all day."

"I don't need you to hold my hand," Revali replied hotly.

"Doesn't mean I can't worry bout ya."

"Why would you be worried?'

"I'm not usually good with this stuff but even I can see that somethin's botherin' you."

"I'm fine."

"Are you worried about the others?"

"What is it with everyone and their incessant prying? I said I'm fine!"

Daruk just stared at him with a frown on his face.

"What?"

"Nothin. I just thought maybe you wanted to talk."

"Whatever," the Rito muttered as he tried to saunter away."

"Revali- "

"Look they're off fighting a Divine Beast and Hylia knows what else and we're stuck here," he sighed.

"So you are worried."

"I didn't say that! If you go off telling them that I am I swear I will- "

"Alright, alright. Just calm down. I won't say anything to anybody."

Revali huffed and looked away.

"Why don't you want anyone to know that you're worried?"

"I. Am. Not. Worried." Revali enunciated each word slowly and forcefully.

"If ya say so."

"I do. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than stick my nose in other people's affairs."

Revali stalked off before Daruk could ask him any more questions. He didn't have time for pointless conversations was what he told himself. He was unable to convince himself entirely that it was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad that I was able to bring back in my bag of feathers and salt.
> 
> SPOILERS FOR CHAMPIONS' BALLAD  
> So Nintendo decided that Daruk is afraid of dogs... Thanks, guys.


	11. Lynel Safari

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"Okay. Let me get this straight: you bought an elixir from a shady merchant, named Beedle for the love of Farore, and now you want to use that elixir so that you can travel to Zora's Domain?"

"That's pretty much it," Daruk replied confidently.

"Oh, for the love of- this is something that I would expect from Link, not you!"

"Calm down Revali."

"I am calm- " Revali snapped as he brought a winged hand up to his face, "but this has to be the worst idea I've heard yet."

"Glad I keep my mouth shut more often then," Daruk muttered dryly.

"I can't believe you- "

"Look," Daruk interrupted patiently, "I am just as worried about them as you are- "

"I told you I'm not worried!"

"And you're a poor liar. I told Urbosa that we would wait here for them unless an opportunity presented itself. Well, an opportunity presented itself."

"An opportunity? There is no way that elixir is safe. More than likely it will just- " Daruk listened without interrupting as the Rito continued his rant. The Goron champion found it almost humorous that even though Revali claimed to not care about him or the others, most of his arguments revolved around a variety of possible things that could happen to the Goron. "- has it even occurred to you, anywhere in that rock-filled brain of yours, that it may not even protect you. It may just prevent you from feeling ill."

"Yeah, it occurred to me but it's a risk I'm willin' to take."

"Dinsake," Revali groaned. "Fine! We'll go and put this extraordinarily ill thought out plan of yours in action. When you collapse, don't expect me to carry you out of there," he finished as he threw up his wings.

"We'll be fine."

"Whatever."

The two continued along the trail in silence, leaving each to their own thoughts. Daruk had decided that they would have to take the longer route, rather than the shortcut straight through the Wetlands. It was too risky to travel around so many lakes and ponds. As Revali liked to point out, he would sink like the giant rock he was.

He looked over to Revali every so often. The Rito Champion was looking everywhere but at Daruk. If the Goron didn't know any better, he would have said that Revali had something weighing down on him.

"Is this really what we should be doing?" Revali asked, finally breaking the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"Shouldn't we have faith that they can handle this themselves?"

"I do have faith in them. That's why we let them go on ahead without us."

"Then why are we going now?"

"Just because I have faith in them doesn't mean I wouldn't rather be there if I can."

"So, you're going to risk your well being for them?" Daruk frowned at something he heard in the Rito's voice. He couldn't quite put his finger on what the quality was. "What?"

"Nothin'. You're just acting funny again."

"I'm not. I just don't understand why you care about them so much," the Rito replied dismissively.

"Sure ya do. You've already done the same for us."

"What?"

"You've stood beside us even when you don't like the decisions we make. You helped Link get into the Crynosis shrine after he got shot in the leg, and even though you won't admit it, I know you're concerned about the others. Far as I'm concerned, you're a brother," Daruk finished as he slapped Revali on the back.

"Hmph!" Revali looked away again as he crossed his wings. "We aren't brothers."

"If ya say so," Daruk replied with a grin.

"What in Din's name would make you- Let's just move!"

"Huh?"

"Well if you're so determined to be useful, then shouldn't we pick up the pace? At the rate we're moving, they'll be dead of natural causes before we get there."

"Alright, alright." Daruk scratched his head. It seemed like every time the Rito was about to open up, he would clam back up tighter than before. Ever since their last conversation about Revali's inner thoughts, he had been in a foul mood. Maybe what he needed was a friendly competition to cheer him up. "Hey, I've got an idea."

"I think you've had enough of those for one day."

"What about a race?" Daruk asked, ignoring his companion's comment.

"A what?" the Rito scoffed.

"A race to Zora's Domain."

"Supposing I go along with this ridiculous idea of yours- " Revali sighed as he rubbed his eyes, "- what, exactly, would be the point?"

"Braggin rights," Daruk grinned as he pumped a fist into the air.

"…fine."

"Knew you'd see it my- "

"But, don't whine about how unfair it was when I grind you into the dirt," Revali said with a smirk.

"You're on!" Daruk started his charge up the path before Revali even had a chance to ready himself. It was fair though. The Rito could fly after all.

* * *

"Shock arrows?" Link asked with a slight frown. He only had a couple of the electrically augmented projectiles. It wasn't that they hadn't picked up plenty along the way but that he had given nearly all of them to Revali.

"Yes. We don't keep a supply of them within the Domain for obvious reasons. Muzu may know where we can find some," Sidon replied with a frown of his own. The Prince had been rather quiet since their meeting with Dorephan had concluded. He had also grown uneasy after Link had replaced the Zora armor with his Knight's tunic. It wasn't that Link disliked it but whatever it signified was causing strife. He had decided that he would only don it again when it was time to fight the Divine Beast.

Link nodded and set his shoulders back. It had been nice to catch up with his friends in the Bazz Brigade. He was shocked to learn that Bazz had, against all odds, become captain of the Zora Knights. He had laughed with the others as Rivan shared some of the struggles of fatherhood. Gaddison had asked after Owen. He and the purple Zora shared a brief moment of mourning made worse by the fact that neither knew what had befallen the Knight. Even so, the mood had passed quickly, and soon they were all back to laughing about their escapades as children. As fun as it had been to reunite with his friends, it was time to focus on the task at hand.

"Perhaps I should do the talking."

"Maybe…"

"Hmm?"

"I should apologize."

"Link… you know that you have done nothing wrong, right?"

Link shrugged. He had somehow upset Muzu and wanted to do his part to make it right, even if it was just so he could be at peace with himself.

Sidon nodded and wordlessly led him towards the center of the Domain.

"He can often be found at the foot of Mipha's statue," Sidon murmured as the effigy of the Zora Champion came into view. In front of the statue stood a lone figure.

"Mipha? What are you doing here?"

"Ahh… well, I came here to speak with Muzu about… that is to say I- "

"Did he wave you off?" Sidon asked quickly.

"Not exactly, no. It was almost like he was unable to see me," she replied sadly. "So, I stayed here to think and…" she trailed off as she stared up at her own image. "Why was this made?"

"To honor the memory of our beloved Princess."

"But I don't deserve- "

"Of course you do! There is a reason we were all so distraught when we had heard that you would not be coming home."

"Sidon…"

"I'm right, am I not, Link?"

Link nodded with a small smile. Mipha returned it with a pained smile of her own as she finally looked at him. He watched her smile falter slightly as she took note of his outfit.

"See? You are indeed beloved!" Sidon cried as he threw his arms out.

"Maybe," she mumbled.

"Sister… you wouldn't happen to know where Muzu has gone, have you?"

"He said something about needing to talk to someone named Laflat."

"Laflat? What could he need from her? No matter," Sidon said as he shook himself, "we can worry about that later. Will you join us, Mipha?"

"No, thank you. I think I will stay here a while longer."

Both Sidon and Link stared at her. The Princess stared at the statue above her with the most conflicted gaze that either had ever seen on her face.

"As you wish." Sidon turned away slowly and made his way back to the upper levels of the Domain as Link stood, looking at Mipha a moment longer. He followed after Sidon when he realized that he wouldn't be able to decipher what was bothering her.

Link watched his childhood friend and guide as they walked along the rainy walkways. He remembered Sidon being an open book but now the only thing that hinted at the Prince's inner thoughts was the frown he wore.

"You okay?"

"I… I hadn't expected this to be as hard for everyone as it has been," the Prince muttered.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? For what? If anything, I should be apologizing to you. A host should not share their troubles with a guest."

"You're not my host," Link murmured, " you're my friend." Sidon's eyes widened at that.

"Thank you!"

Link nodded enthusiastically. Sidon had always had a way of passing his optimism to those around him. It was one of his finest qualities.

"I'm sorry that I cannot remember much of you. I suppose that we will just have to make new memories! But first, we need to take care of our home."

Link struggled to keep up as Sidon's gait increased with his focus on the task at hand.

"Ah! There they are." Link saw the Elder with his hands held behind his back. He was accompanied by a female Zora who held a blue object in her hands. Muzu's eyes narrowed as he took in Link's attire but thankfully, he chose not to comment on it.

"Prince Sidon, how many times must I tell you not to run through the streets?"

"I am sorry Muzu, but we need your help."

"Well at least that blasted animal is no longer following you around," Muzu griped. "What do you require my help with?"

"Link and my sister are in need of shock arrows. I was hoping you would know where to find some."

"Shock arrows? Those will be nowhere near Lady Mipha or Prince Sidon, correct?" the Elder asked Link stiffly.

Link nodded curtly.

"Very well, then I shall tell you where you may find them, but first there is something I wish to say to you."

"Muzu- "

"Quiet," the Elder interrupted tiredly. "I may not understand what our Princess sees in you, Link, and I may not agree with her decision. However, that does not change the fact that my behavior towards you has been… deplorable. I hope that you will accept my apology."

"… I'm sorry too."

Elder and Hylian had a brief moment of understanding as they met each other's gaze. Muzu sighed before breaking the silence.

"Seeing as these matters are out of my hands, I can only choose how I respond," he muttered resignedly. "I have had our secretary, Laflat, search through our storerooms for these," he continued as he motioned for the young Zora woman to step forward. She did so quickly and handed Link a pair of leggings.

"My grandfather used to make these for the Hylians that visited us. They'll help you to swim like a Zora," Laflat said quietly as she handed over a blue pair of leggings.

Link held up the greaves and inspected them. They had been made of the same material as the Zora armor.

"Thank you."

"There is one more thing," Muzu said as he removed his hands from behind his back. He held up an armored headpiece. "This was created to commemorate your victory over a Lynel that threatened the Domain before the Great Calamity. Are you prepared to prove to me that you are worthy of it?"

Link nodded.

"Then I will entrust it to you in good faith. Do not disappoint me." Muzu handed the helm to Link. "You will find the arrows you need with another Lynel that has made its home on Ploymus Mountain."

"Right! He is a beast, that one," Sidon muttered.

"Indeed, but you have killed one before or so I am told. May I suggest you seek the Lady Urbosa's aid. I am certain that she has nothing better to do with her time."

* * *

"He said what?" Urbosa asked incredulously as she and Link hiked up to Ploymus Mountain.

"Apparently, he thinks you have nothing better to do," Link muttered as he sidled up to the side of the mountain to pass a particularly thin stretch of the path.

She growled under her breath. The Elder, in the two days she had known him, had managed to work his way under her skin more than Revali ever had.

"Do you suppose he was dropped on his head as a child?"

Link shot her a frown as he continued.

"What? The only way he could have a head that flat is if he was dropped from a high place as a child."

"Why is Midna scared of you?"

Urbosa frowned as her thoughts turned to the wolf. Midna had chosen to stay behind with her when Prince Sidon had led Link away. She had stayed by the woman's side as she had snapped time and time again, trying to remember the power she had once wielded. After far too much time, Urbosa had finally summoned lightning, which had nearly frightened the poor beast to death. After that, Midna had followed the Gerudo Champion from a distance and no amount of coddling had been able to convince the wolf that she wasn't going to hurt her. She ordinarily enjoyed pranks and poking fun at others but her intent was never to terrorize her companions.

"I accidentally scared her earlier. It might be awhile before she trusts me again."

"She's with Mipha. I'm sure she'll feel better by the time we get back."

"I suppose she does have a calming presence," Urbosa mused. She considered prodding the Hylian about his relationship with the Zora Princess but quickly pushed the inclination away. After what she had witnessed in the throne room, she was certain that Mipha's gift had been a traditional method of courting. She had also seen the stress that Mipha was trying to hide when the Zora had seen Link out of the armor.

The Gerudo shook her head. Now wasn't the time to worry about such things. Right now she needed to prepare herself for the fight with the Lynel.

"How many arrows do we need?"

"Muzu suggested twenty."

"Why do I have the impression that you intend to do more than just collect the arrows?" She sighed as Link said nothing in reply. "Can I at least trust that you have an actual plan this time?"

"Yes."

"Alright. I'm going to hang back this time."

"Are you sure?"

"I have a new trick up my sleeve but using it is exhausting." She had nearly passed out the first time she used her power. Thankfully, Purah had been prepared and handed her a stamina elixir. The sheikah scientist had, in her childish wisdom, given Urbosa a small supply of the potion in case she needed to use it again.

Link nodded and said nothing more.

As they came up to the crest of the mountain the two heard the sound of hooves clopping along the ground. Both crouched low and edged behind a boulder. Urbosa listened carefully as the sound of hooves passed them by. She leaned out carefully to see the massive body of a horse stamping away from her. Where the neck should have been was the torso of a man. Strapped to its back was a sword and bow larger than she.

She pulled back quickly as the monster looked over its shoulder.

"What's the plan?" she hissed.

Link held up a bomb.

"And when that doesn't work?"

Link pointed to the hilt of his sword.

"So much for having a plan," she muttered dryly.

Link grinned slightly as he strode out from behind the rock. She shook her head as he whistled for the Lynel's attention. The monster, signaling its rage with an earth-shaking roar, charged at the young Hylian. Link rolled the bomb towards it and waited until the beast's legs were on either side. The ensuing detonation tore the monster's legs to shreds as the Lynel screamed in pain and fell to the ground. The beast writhed around, attempting to reach for one of the weapons that was strapped to its back.

Urbosa remained tense as Link dashed forward with his sword drawn and plunged it deep into the Lynel's chest. The Hylian heaved at the blade but it refused to be removed. To Urbosa's horror, the monster recovered quickly and swung its massive fist. Even though it lay in a heap on the ground with a sword in its chest, the Lynel mustered the strength to knock the Hylian flying mid-dive. Link hit the ground with an audible thud. His chest heaved as he tried to get air into his lungs.

"Link!" She dashed over to her comrade quickly as the Lynel ripped the sword from its body and attempted to get to its feet. She dragged the winded Hylian behind cover as their opponent settled for drawing its bow, remaining in a kneeling position. She thanked the Goddess for the multitude of stones the dotted the summit that could be used as a shield from the beast.

She reached into Link's pouch, searching for a bottle as the Hylian gasped for air. She pulled one out, but cursed as the one she pulled out was empty. She attempted to reach back in but Link beat her to it. He fumbled for a moment but then he pulled out another bottle, this time filled with a deep red potion. Urbosa held his head up as he downed the contents of the bottle.

Link was able to stand on his own. He was slightly hunched over but his erratic breathing had been replaced by a light panting. The relief was short lived as bright yellow lights filled her periphery. She and Link pressed themselves against the rock as shock arrows landed all around them

"If I can make you an opening, do you think you can kill it?"

Link nodded.

"Get ready," she muttered as another volley of shock arrows landed dangerously close. The Gerudo Champion focused on the Lynel's position and readied her fingers. She felt power building within her, more than the first few times she had called lightning. She snapped her fingers together and not a second later a bright flash illuminated their surroundings and a deafening crack ripped through the air around them. Urbosa collapsed onto the rock she had been hiding behind as a wave of exhaustion rolled over her. She clung to her support as Link leapt out of hiding and charged the monster once again, pulling a weapon out of his satchel as he did so. She reached down to her waist and removed one of the stamina potions that Purah had given her.

She stumbled out into the open as Link removed a spear from the convulsing Lynel's neck. The creature fell to the ground, no longer able to lash out as the remnants of Urbosa's lightning coursed through it, leaving it a spasming mess on the ground. Link watched it for a second as a frown painted his face. He took the spear and drove it home one last time. Satisfied that the beast was dead he took in their surroundings with a troubled expression.

"I think we need to talk about your definition of planning," Urbosa panted.

Link ignored her as he strode over to a lone boulder and began pushing it towards the dead Lynel.

"What are you doing?"

"I have a plan," Link grinned as he strained.

"Mipha's going to kill us both."

* * *

"Why exactly did you launch the Lynel off Shatterback Point?" Sidon asked as Mipha finished healing the few bruises and scratches Urbosa had received. Shatterback Point was the infamous ledge that extended from the peak of Ploymus Mountain over the Eastern Reservoir. Sidon and Mipha had been waiting for Link and Urbosa on the edge of the lake when they had seen a large object hurtling towards the water below Shatterback Point.

"I wanted to see if Shatterback was an appropriate name. It's a very apt description."

"It was going to come back during the next blood moon," Link clarified.

"Ah. I suppose it will not be a threat at the bottom of the lake."

Mipha's mind drifted away from the rest of the conversation as she moved onto Link. The Hylian sat on the ground, petting Midna as he waited for the Zora Princess to heal him. This reminded her of the last time a Lynel had made the mountaintop its home. She had followed Link when he had gone to battle the monster. She remembered being amazed by his skill and strength, so much so that the initial fear she felt was forgotten. Never had she expected to see a lone Hylian do what a squad of skilled knights could barely accomplish.

Seeing Link injured, even if not mortally, caused anxiety to rear its ugly head. Even if he wasn't lacking in skill, his strength was nowhere near what it used to be. The Zora Princess feared that they were unprepared for what they would find within Ruta but there was no time.

She silently mourned as her thoughts drifted to another memory. It had been atop Ruta's long nose where she had vowed that she would protect him, no matter where or how severe the injury. She had intended to propose that night but again her doubts about timing had assailed her. She had regretted that. She didn't want to admit it but she had long been jealous of Princess Zelda. Link's duties as her appointed knight meant that he had been spending a great deal of time with her. Mipha, though she loathed to admit it, was worried that the Hylian Princess would win the stoic swordsman.

Though she had been certain that her decision to wait once again was right at the time, she now questioned it. Maybe, if she had been able to work up the courage, things wouldn't have gone so terribly wrong. Her proposal, if she could even call it that, had already created rifts between her and those she considered family. A part of her dreaded that it would create even more in the future.

"You okay?" Link asked quietly as her hands moved over his fractured ribs.

"Yes. I was just thinking about the past. So much has changed in the time we have been gone."

"Yeah."

"Do you think… do you think that things will ever be able to go back to the way they were."

"I don't think so," Link murmured.

"I see…"

"Sorry."

"No, no. I just wish that things could be different."

"If wishes were fishes," Link started.

"Then we would have a school," Mipha finished. "I suppose it will do no good to focus on things that can't be."

"But it won't hurt to think about it a little."

"I suppose," she lamented. "We should make a plan now." She finally turned her attention to the massive machine that floated in the center of the reservoir. The Zora Princess had been trying desperately to avoid the machine but she couldn't any longer. Ruta floated motionless as miniature waterfalls spouted from above each of its four joints. The long nose that she had once found so adorable curved towards the sky, pouring an endless supply of water into the air.

"The four orbs above its shoulders operate through the use of electricity. We will have to get you close so that you can swim up the waterfalls and shoot from a better vantage point."

"I will be helping as well," Sidon added as he joined them.

"Absolutely not," Mipha replied.

"Yes, I will."

"It is far too dangerous, Sidon."

"I suppose that now wouldn't be a good time to bring up the giant Octorok, would it?" Urbosa asked with a small grin on her face.

"How do you know about that?" Sidon asked nervously.

"Link and I found some stone monuments on our way here. One of them told us the most riveting tale of your battle with a giant Octorok."

"You did what?"

"It was just an Octorok. Nothing to be worried about."

"Is that what you were thinking after it swallowed you?"

"It did what!?

"Now, before you get upset-"

"It's a bit late for that," Urbosa chuckled.

"- you should know that it was threatening a Hylian village and I couldn't- "

"Did father allow this?"

"Not exactly…"

"Sidon, you cannot simply go and- "

"Let him come," Link interrupted quietly.

"What?"

"He has as much right to defend this place as we do. Besides, we'll need his help."

"But- "

"We both know that Ganon isn't going to let us waltz in. We're going to have to fight every step of the way including just to get aboard and I can't swim as well as a Zora."

"I can get him in close so that he can make it to the top of a waterfall unhindered. After we've disabled Ruta, I will go back to the Domain without complaint. Just please let me help you get that far."

"...very well, but you must promise me that you will be careful."

"I will."

Mipha closed her eyes. This was all becoming a little too much for her. Ruta was suffering, her proposal had not gone at all as she had hoped and was likely misunderstood, and now two of the most important people in her life were putting themselves at risk because she couldn't handle the Divine Beast on her own.

"Now isn't the time to doubt yourself," Urbosa whispered to her softly. Mipha looked around to find the Gerudo Champion walking away. "I'll be leaving this to the three of you."

"Forgive me for saying this, but you do not strike me as someone who sits back while her friends are in danger."

"Oh don't worry about me, Prince Sidon. I think you and I will be plenty busy while these two handle Vah Ruta."

"Huh? Oh, right! I will need to visit Purah before I meet with you again."

"Well, just remember one thing: it's rude to keep a lady waiting."

"Ah… yes. I will keep that in mind," Sidon replied uncertainly.

Urbosa gave the Prince an approving smile before she sauntered off. Mipha smiled slightly as Midna's gaze switched between the Gerudo's back and the lake. The wolf reluctantly chose to follow Urbosa.

"Alright!" Sidon chimed as he dove into the water. He surfaced and grinned at Link. "Climb aboard." Link hopped on the Zora's back with a chuckle.

Mipha smiled as she dove in after them. It was nice to see that they still got along so well, even all these years later.

"Link, Sidon, please don't overextend yourselves," she called as they swam towards Ruta.

"Don't worry sister, I'm unstoppable in the water!"

Mipha smiled ruefully as she readied her trident. She chanced a quick glance towards Ruta. Her lips tightened as she saw two massive blocks of ice forming in front of Ruta. As quickly as they formed, they shot away from the Divine Beast, one towards her and one towards Link and Sidon. Thankfully, the slate had a function that could handle ice.

Neither Zora changed course as they continued zipping towards the Divine Beast. The first block to shatter into harmless pieces was hers. Link's was not far behind. Sidon rushed forward, leaping into the air and launching Link towards the first of the four waterfalls.

She paused, watching carefully as the Hylian ascended the waterfall, rocketing high into the air. She was reminded of Revali as Link swiftly nocked an arrow and shot one of the orbs far above. It wasn't quite as graceful as the Rito but she doubted there were many that could replicate the feat.

Sidon was waiting for him as he fell back into the water, whisking Link away from the Divine Beast as it launched a new volley of ice attacks. Mipha swam beside them, relying on the disturbances in the water to warn her of impending attacks. She exchanged a glance with Link, who nodded to her. He twisted himself around and aimed the slate at the projectiles following her.

She dove down beneath the surface, curving back, leaping over a projectile chasing Sidon. She spun, using the momentum from her spin to knock away the offending object with the Lightscale Trident. Mipha was forced to reorient herself as Sidon darted towards the Divine Beast once again. She caught up to him, finishing off the last of Ruta's attack in the process.

Mipha and Sidon were forced to retreat as Ruta completely surrounded itself with even more ice projectiles. Mipha barely had the time to send a panicked glance at where Link should have been. What she saw horrified her. The Divine Beast had encased itself in a wall of ice, cutting off all access to it, except from the air. To make matters even worse, Link was nowhere to be seen.

"We have to help Link!" she cried to Sidon as they dodged attacks from every direction.

"Have some faith! I'm certain that he can handle it!" Sidon shouted back.

"But-"

"I know you're worried- " Sidon interrupted as he strafed to avoid a block that nearly struck him in the back "-but there's nothing we can do right now!"

Mipha knew he was right. She did her best to avoid thinking about the worst scenario and instead focused on evading Ruta's onslaught. She eventually gave up trying to destroy the projectiles. There were just too many, and it seemed that Ruta would simply generate another to replace what she had destroyed.

Mipha leaped out of the water to avoid a low sweeping ball of ice, only to be confronted by another block heading straight for her. There was no way she could twist to avoid it. She closed her eyes and braced herself as best she could. The only thing she felt was her body slapping against the water. She opened her eyes to find that all of the ice that Ruta had created was gone.

The Divine Beast seemed to have powered down, its once vibrant highlights giving off only a dull red glow as Link floated down towards a platform that had extended from it. Mipha rushed to his side with Sidon not far behind.

The Hylian was favoring his left leg as Mipha joined him on the platform.

"What happened?" she asked worriedly as she extended her hand to his leg.

"I got hit on my way up the second waterfall," Link muttered with a grimace as Mipha's healing powers repaired the damage.

"Truly incredible!" Sidon cried from the water. "I don't think anyone could manage to swim up two waterfalls with an injury like that," he replied when Link sent him an inquiring look.

"One," he said quietly.

"What?"

"I only swam up one."

"You managed to shoot two arrows from that height? That is truly amazing!"

Mipha smiled as she listened to the Zora Prince sing the Hylian's praises. It was nice to know that even though he had grown into a fine young man, at heart he was the same excitable Zora he had been as a child.

"Link… take care of my sister."

"I will," Link replied, meeting Sidon's gaze with a determined stare.

"Good. I leave the rest in your hands." With his parting words said, the Prince turned away and swam back towards the Domain.

The platform that she and Link stood on raised itself back up to the Divine Beast. The two companions looked at each other, exchanging a nod before they stepped into Ruta's interior. Mipha could barely hold back the foreboding that gnawed at her insides.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Purah asked as she craned her neck back to look at the Zora Prince before her.

"I am," he replied firmly.

She frowned uneasily. Even if the armor worked, there would still likely be consequences for aiding the Prince in his plan to aid Urbosa.

"I'm not sure about this…" she trailed off as the Prince gave her a pleading look. "Why are you so dead set on doing this?"

"I made someone a promise and I intend to keep it."

"A promise?"

"I promised my sister that I would defend our home. I do not intend for that to be an empty promise."

Purah mulled the Prince's response over. It was too late for them alter the armor's sizing as the somehow the Prince's measurements had been the ones used rather than Seggin's. It was a massive oversight that neither Symin or Dento had noticed during the armor's construction, an issue she intended to bring up with both of them.

"Very well, but you understand that Mipha's going to freak out when she hears about this?"

"It should not be too bad. She is very kind after all."

"I can remember a few times that would make you rethink this."

"Like what?"

"One time Link and I were running an experiment on a Guardian and- " she cut herself off quickly. Now that she thought about it, that story was absolutely mortifying. She hated being lectured like that, especially when it was in front of a crowd.

"What happened?"

"Nothing!" she snapped with more force than she intended. "Come here," she said brusquely as she led Sidon back into Dento's workshop. She was surprised to see Muzu bent over Dento's worktable as the Zora artisan worked. It was even more peculiar as it appeared that Dento was working on Mipha's trident.

Purah led Sidon to the back of the workshop, where a large set of metal armor rested on a counter. Embedded throughout the armor were pieces of highly refined topaz that reflected the dull glow of the workshop.

"It's made of metal," Sidon remarked with no small amount of confusion. "I thought metal conducts electricity."

"Yep. That's why we the armor out of metal."

"But how does that keep me safe from shock weapons?"

"For some odd reason, it seems that electricity only travels on the surface of metals. Ordinarily, if you were to lose a piece or be airborne, then the armor wouldn't help. That's why we put the topaz in there. It can absorb the electricity and will hold it until you touch the ground or water."

"I see… well not really. This all goes a little over my head but if you are sure it will work, then I have no reason to doubt it."

"Of course I'm sure. Do you think I would give you something that wouldn't protect you?"

"Thank you!"

"How about you thank me after it saves your life," she replied dryly.

"I will thank you then as well," Sidon responded enthusiastically.

"Come on, let's get you in there so we can make any last minute adjustments. SYMIN! GET YOUR SORRY BUTT OVER HERE AND HELP ME OUT!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back again because... I don't actually have a life.
> 
> Meh. Who needs one of those.
> 
> Until next time.


	12. Divine Beast Vah Ruta

"… _I hope you know that I will always protect you." Relief filled her petite frame as some of the anguish in Link's eyes dissipated at her words. She retracted her hand from his freshly healed arm and gazed nervously out over the waters of the East Reservoir Lake. She had brought Link to Ruta, hoping that atop the Divine Beast, she could finally ask him the question she had been meaning to for some time._

" _Once this whole thing is done, perhaps things can go back to how they used to be when we were young. You know…Perhaps we could spend some time together."_

The Zora Champion was surprised at how confident she sounded when she suggested it. She didn't feel nearly so within as she again second-guessed herself and her intent for bringing Link here. Her inner turmoil was lessened as she carefully analyzed Link's face. His features seemed lighter as though a weight had been lifted. If she didn't know any better, she would have assumed that his smile wouldn't be far behind.

She knew better. It was so rare that he smiled anymore. Even Sidon and Owen struggled to wrestle the barest tug at Link's lips. She looked away to hide her dissatisfaction, choosing instead to look down at her hands that she held together.

"I was thinking," Link muttered hoarsely, causing her eyes to snap back to him, "about the promise I made Naydra that night." His face gave nothing away as he stared at her intently. "When I go to finally meet her… will you… will you come with me?" he finished weakly.

Mipha smiled graciously as she inclined her head. It was rare that she was able to spend any time with him anymore. The idea that maybe one day he would truly come home overjoyed her.

Link gave her a grateful nod and turned his brooding eyes back to the lake beneath them. Mipha's hand unconsciously trailed the package she had brought with her. Another moment of indecision wracked her as she rushed herself to choose. She looked at her suffering friend as she attempted to make up her mind. In that brief second, where the weight of the world seemed to weigh him down, she made her choice.

She would wait once again.

_Mipha had assumed that after the brief conversation, Link would be biting at the bit to return to Princess Zelda. The Hylian made no move to get up, seeming content to remain where he was. Mipha said nothing as the afternoon bled into the evening, eventually fading into night. She was more than happy to spend her time in the company of a dear friend._

* * *

Mipha opened her eyes to see Link's face hovering above hers. She was disoriented, not even realizing that she had collapsed. Link gently helped her into a sitting position.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

"I think so," she replied gratefully. In truth, her heart hurt terribly. Remembering the loss of her mother, and then reexperiencing the pain of watching Link wither away from a once vibrant child was difficult, to say the least.

Link frowned at her.

"I have just remembered some painful things. It will take time for them to fade away again."

He tilted his head in thought. Finally, he gave her a firm nod and stood, helping her up carefully as he did so. The Hylian Champion held onto her as she wobbled even with his support. Mipha took several deep breaths, fighting against the nausea that bubbled within her. She had suspected that entering the Divine Beast would have a negative effect on her. She hadn't expected it to be so severe though as she tried to swallow down the bile that was building in her throat.

She unsteadily assured Link that she would be all right and that he could let go. He did so, albeit unwillingly, sticking closer than he normally would.

"What now?"

"Ruta seems to be locked down," Mipha answered shakily. "The console that was first used to activate her is further within. I think we should start there."

Link latched onto her arm as she nearly fell taking a step.

"Really, I will be fine."

Link nodded, but his grip remained, helping to steady her.

"Very well," she murmured. "Let's get moving."

The Zora Champion led Link towards the rear of Ruta. There, separated from them by a small pool of water and an overhanging gate, was a terminal matching the ones in the shrines and towers.

"May I have the Slate?"

"No, wait here." He didn't wait for her to protest, diving into the shallow pool of water at their feet. She watched the spot where he had disappeared, waiting impatiently for him to get back. Being alone in Ruta was unnerving. The once clean, lit pathways through the interior were now covered in oily black masses. She nearly choked as she saw black particles evaporating from the blackness into the air. She had once found solace here among the earthen colors and the blue highlights. Now, a sickly red glow permeated the interior as malice stained the surfaces.

She nearly cried out as Link resurfaced, looking at her with all the concern in the world as he pulled himself out of the water. He took his place by her side and pulled out the Sheikah Slate. Rather than tilting its face towards them, he held it flat and tapped a new symbol. A three-dimensional image of Ruta sprung up from the Slate's surface, giving off a soft orange glow as it did so. The image was transparent, allowing her to see the outside as well as the inside. Scattered throughout the interior were special markings.

"These are the terminals we need to activate," she murmured as she indicated one of the locations specified on the strange map.

Link nodded and put the map away, setting a steadying hand on her in the process.

"Lead the way."

* * *

"Well, that looks… interesting," Urbosa commented as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. She had been in the process of assisting Captain Bazz with battle preparations when Sidon, wearing a full set of metal armor, bounded up to her with an exuberant greeting. "Is this the solution Purah was talking about?"

"Yes! Supposedly electricity onl- " he was cut off as Urbosa raised a hand.

"You can spare me the finer details. Wasn't that meant for Sergeant Seggin?"

"Ah, about that. I asked her assistant to modify it for me instead."

"So, a Prince who could sit this out safely behind the frontlines is instead risking his life?" she asked as she raised a brow.

"I do not intend to sit idly by as my family and friends risk their lives."

"Hmm," she hummed as she hooked her finger on her chin. "You've got a lot of spunk. I like it."

"You do? I thought you might try to send me back."

"I think a leader should be willing to do more than they ask their followers. Do you disagree?"

"No!" he replied excitedly. "I look forward to fighting by your side."

"Moving a bit fast, aren't we? Usually, I expect to be taken to dinner before I trust someone to fight at my side," she responded, setting a hand on her hip.

"Well… while I am currently not courting anyone, I still think it would be highly inappropriate for me too- I mean that I," he quickly tried to correct himself as she raised a brow at his objections, "well you see… Allow me to start again… What is so funny?"

Urbosa laughed raucously at the young Prince before her.

"You are so like your sister."

"Thank you?"

"You are just so easy to mess with."

"I see. Is that a good thing?"

"For me? Absolutely. For you? Not so much."

"Ahh… perhaps we should continue readying ourselves?"

"Eager to get out of the mess you're in?"

"No… I mean, it's not that I mind it's just- "

"So easy," Urbosa chuckled. Sidon hung his head as she grinned playfully at him. "I suppose you're right."

"So where are we right now?" the Zora Prince asked, his embarrassment forgotten.

"Not anywhere good." Urbosa began tracing her temple with a finger.

"But you and I should be able to deal with the worst of it right?"

"I wish it were that easy. Unfortunately, we don't know how many there are, exactly how many shock weapons there are, and because of the Zora's weak climbing, we are stuck on this field with few ways to flank them. You and I are also the only ones with any sort of resistance to electricity, which means everyone else is going to have to hang behind until we've eliminated that particular danger."

"Is there anything we can do?" Sidon asked impassively.

"I've sent one of yours to the Wetland Stables with a message for a… friend. I think he would be able to tip the scales."

"Are you sure he will come?"

"Oh, he'll come alright. The chance to win attention in battle and me asking for help will be too irresistible for him."

"It sounds like there is nothing to worry about!"

Urbosa shook her head at the Prince's boundless enthusiasm. He wasn't putting nearly enough thought into what was to come. Even so, she wasn't sure that trying to impress on him the gravity of their situation was a good idea. Sidon, with his unshakable faith, could help to keep their morale high and that could win them the battle.

"So, what is the plan?"

"You and I are going to hold the line while some of the best swimmers wait at the bottom of the river. When we identify the largest threats, they'll spring out of hiding and hopefully kill them before they can do too much damage."

"Hmm," Sidon hummed thoughtfully. "Is there any other way we can ambush them?"

"Not that I can think of," Urbosa muttered gravely. "If we had more climbers, we could have them laying in wait from above, but that won't work."

"This is not going to be easy, is it?"

"Not in the slightest but I do have a trick or two up my sleeve."

"Like what?"

"Now that would be telling," she chuckled. "Alright, let's get back to work."

Sidon nodded and took to her side as she got back to work preparing for the battle ahead.

* * *

They had done it.

They had activated all the terminals within Ruta. Now, it was time for them to descend to Ruta's control room.

Link looked at Mipha. She had gradually become steadier as they had activated the terminals. She could walk without help, and most of her flush was gone. He was still concerned about her though. The closer they got to the control room, the more she fidgeted. He chalked it up to nerves. The interior of Ruta was filled with more than the oily black substance they had seen upon entering. Some of the masses contained eyes that watched them. No matter where they were, they couldn't escape the all-seeing eyes. He didn't want to admit it, but he was unnerved by the feeling of constantly being watched, yet it also felt strangely familiar. Link had never wanted to escape a situation as much as he wanted to right then. He kept his face perfectly neutral as he shrugged the thought off.

"Link… there is something you should know. It's about the armor you are wearing."

Link stopped and turned to look at her. He thought it was peculiar that she had stopped to talk about this just outside the control room.

"I know that my father said we would talk about this after we appeased Ruta, but I don't know what is about to happen. I want… I want you to know the significance of what it means." She spoke quietly and nervously. "It's… it's…"

"It's okay," Link interrupted. He didn't want her to force herself to speak if she was unwilling.

"No, it isn't!" He flinched unconsciously as she snapped. "I am sorry, Link, but I need you to understand. That armor… it's an engagement gift."

"Engagement?"

"Yes. Father and I decided that because of the situation, we would wait to inform you until after Ruta was cleansed."

Link stared at her uncomprehendingly. His mind stopped working as he tried to process what Mipha had just told him. The Zora Princess' fidgeting grew worse as Link stood there silently.

"If you do not wish to accept it… that is… it's okay. I mean of course I wish you to accept but if you don't that's okay too. All I want is for you to be happy- "

"Let's go," Link interrupted quietly. He didn't wait for Mipha to reply, instead choosing to enter the control room. He felt far too conflicted to do anything else.

"You just need to activate that terminal." Mipha's voice cracked as she motioned towards the console at the far end of the room. "That will reset Ruta's system, but we should be careful. This is likely where Ganon will- "

"I'm sorry," Link muttered suddenly. "I just need time to think about… all of this."

"I am so sorry. I know that it was unfair of me to put all of that on you so suddenly."

"I'd rather know than not know… it's just a lot."

"I know. I just want you to know what it means. Why it fits you so well."

"I see…"

"Let's… let's just focus on this right now," Mipha murmured quietly.

Link nodded, still uneasy about the situation he was in. He set it aside as he brought the Slate up and set it on the terminal. As soon as the Slate made contact, an explosion of malice knocked him back. Threads of blue light fled the console, collecting behind both him and Mipha.

"Waterblight…" Link strained to hear Zelda's voice as he flipped around. "Waterblight…"

The blue threads spun themselves together, forming into something that had appeared to have crawled its way out of a nightmare. The misshapen figure was an amalgamation of ancient technology and malice that had coagulated to form purple skin. Red veins crisscrossed over the sickly skin as a single, blue eye stared them down. The red mane that patched its face flowed through the air as the creature hung above them.

"Waterblight is a phantom of Ganon. It was created for the sole purpose of killing the Zora champion and turning the Divine Beast against us. One hundred years ago, its interference nearly killed Mipha and almost led to the destruction of the Domain. I have held in check as best I can but it is up to you two to destroy it. I have faith that together, you two can defeat it. May you be victorious."

Waterblight activated a device it held in its hand, causing a giant, holographic spear to jut forth from it. Link drew his sword and lowered his center of gravity as the scourge of Vah Ruta charged forward.

* * *

"Dinsake!" Urbosa spat as she managed to put her shield between herself and another Lizalfo's sword. Though the battle could not have been raging for very long, she and Sidon were already standing on a hill made out of the lizard-monsters' bodies. Her foot lashed out, catching the creature in the chest and sending it careening back into its kin. "How many of these things are there?"

"I don't know," Sidon gasped as he dispatched another of the monsters with a quick flick of his wrist.

Things had, as she should have guessed, gone terribly wrong. Their plan to hide Zora soldiers in the water hadn't worked. The Lizalfo that had shock arrows were nowhere to be found, and instead, the Zora had been confronted with swords and spears that were electrified as well. They had been forced to retreat before they could do anything, leaving Urbosa and Sidon to handle the fighting as best they could.

Urbosa only had enough time to fill her lungs with air before another swarm of Lizalfo descended on her. She lost herself in the monotony of swinging her sword, blocking a strike, and swinging her sword again. The hill of bodies beneath her feet grew with every passing minute and still, there was no end in sight.

Urbosa grunted in pain as a Lizal boomerang cut her leg. She fell to her knees as the Lizalfo's stood over her. Before the monster could even draw back, Midna crashed into it and ripped its throat out. The wolf stood next to her as she quickly drank a stamina potion and pushed herself back up, ready to fight again.

Midna didn't retreat behind Urbosa this time. The wolf would attack low, latching on to a Lizalfo calf while the Gerudo Champion attacked high.

"Lady Urbosa! We may have a problem!" Sidon called.

"What?"

"They have shock arrows above us!"

Urbosa smiled ruefully as she cut down another monster.

"Cover me!"

The Zora Prince obliged, stepping in front of her during a momentary lull. Urbosa looked at the cliff above them and focused on the Lizalfos moving above them. She only had a vague impression to work on, but it probably wasn't all that different from attacking one. She snapped her fingers, calling lightning down on the offending creatures. She gasped for air as her power drained her. She glanced up, only to see the monsters were merely stunned. She didn't have the strength to call more.

For the first time since the battle started, doubt began to creep up on her. Nothing had gone right, she and Sidon were struggling just to stay on their feet, and now the enemy had gotten behind them.

In quick succession, the Lizalfos fell as arrows rained down on them. Urbosa fought off a smile as she felt a familiar gust of wind behind her.

"Well look what we have here. A battle is raging, and our _beloved_ Gerudo Champion is lazing around on the ground."

Urbosa had never been happier to hear Revali's haughty voice.

"And what, exactly, have you been doing?"

"Oh, _someone_ thought she could do it all with nothing but a boy and a stuttering fish. How's that working for you?"

"Never been better," she grumbled as she struggled to stand. She downed the last of her stamina potions. It gave her enough energy to get her feet solidly beneath her. It was then that she noticed that the Lizalfos had fallen into disarray beneath them. The lizard-like monsters were scrambling in every direction, trying to escape something only they could see.

Urbosa sighed as she saw what they were fleeing from. Daruk was barreling through them, knocking whoever was unfortunate enough to be in his way high into the air. Urbosa chuckled darkly as the constant stream of monsters being thrown into the air and slamming back into the ground took on the impression of a wave.

"Always has to put on a show, doesn't he?"

"Oh be quiet. Sometimes a little showing off isn't the worst thing."

"Forgive me but how is a Goron able to travel here? When I tried to bring one here, he fell ill not long after the rain started falling," Sidon murmured as he watched Daruk charge towards them.

"He bought an elixir from a sleazy merchant. Supposedly, it protects him but- " Revali paused as they heard Daruk roaring while he tore through the ranks, "- I think it just made him really… happy."

"For the love of Farore," Urbosa muttered as the Goron finally reached them.

"URBOSA!"

"No need to shout, Big Guy."

"Oh… sorry!" Daruk whispered.

"I apologize for interrupting," Sidon called, "but I think we should strike while they are still recovering."

"Hey, Feathers, why don't you show us those skills you keeping going on about?" The Rito narrowed his eyes at her as she continued, "There are a few of them using shock weapons. Think you're good enough to take them out before they reach us?"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Revali snorted.

"Sidon, go notify Bazz that we can advance."

"Absolutely!" The young Prince bounded towards the Zora soldiers.

"Did either of you happen to see a white Lizalfo on your way here?"

"YOU MEAN THE ONE I BOWLED OVER?"

"There is no need to shout," Urbosa sighed. "Think you can lead us to him?"

"You betcha!" he cried as he held his Cobble Crusher high.

The Gerudo Champion shook her head. She planned to have a long talk with the Goron after all of this was done.

"We are ready, Lady Urbosa," Sidon said. He and the rest of the Zora stood behind her, ready to charge forward at a moment's notice.

"You ready, Big Guy?"

Daruk bellowed his response, charging back towards their opponents. Urbosa was surprised when her voice, as well as the voices of the Zora, joined Daruk's. The Lizalfo, still trying to regroup, quaked as they were rushed by the bellowing army. The Lizards tried to scramble out of the way, only to be cut down by swords and spears if they weren't sent flying by Daruk's swings. Urbosa almost felt pity as they broke through them. Almost.

The few Lizalfo archers that managed to fire off a shot before Revali's arrows found them were so panicked that their arrows went wide, rendering them harmless. Urbosa noticed that a few stray arrows managed to find their way into Lizalfo that nearly killed one of the Zora. Even Midna helped, locking her jaws on any of the lizards' legs she could find.

The Gerudo Champion stuck close to Daruk and Sidon as their sprint led them to the white Lizalfo as it attempted to regroup its forces. Daruk tossed his weapon at the creature. It leaped over the Cobble Crusher and scuttled towards him, swinging its sword. Daruk caught its arms and struggled to hold it back. Urbosa sidestepped him, driving her scimitar into the monster's chest as Daruk's head smashed into the Lizalfo's.

The Lizalfo's grip faltered, giving Daruk the chance to rip the monster off the ground. He swung the creature around and slammed it into the cliff wall beside them. The monster fell to the ground where Midna pounced on it and ripped its throat out. The monster was far too dead to even twitch.

"HA!" Daruk roared as the few monsters that remained fled back down the path. With no strong arm to lead them in the fight, they scuttled away like insects. Urbosa set a hand on her hip as she watched the unenviable creatures retreat.

"Well now that that particular bit of unpleasantness is behind us, what's next?" Revali asked as he lighted down beside them.

"We mop up," Urbosa sighed as she turned her gaze to the carnage that lay around them. She smiled as the Zora soldiers, led by Sidon, filled the air with shouts of victory.

* * *

**Mipha** dove left as Waterblight's spear embedded itself in the floor where she had been. The malice filled being was only weaponless for as long as it took for the energized blade to disappear into nothingness and reappear in its hand. Mipha used the opportunity to look for Link but he was nowhere to be found.

Whatever advantage Link and Mipha had gained in numbers was lost to the Phantom's range. Even if the two were out of arm's reach, Waterblight would simply toss its weapon at them. Years of training and quick reflexes were the only reason that the Zora Princess was still standing.

Waterblight screamed suddenly and jerked away, raising itself into the air as inky black smoke bled from several wounds on its back. Her nerves settled slightly as she finally saw Link. The Hylian, taking advantage of Waterblight's inattentiveness to him, had attacked from behind. Mipha edged towards the Phantom slowly as it focused its efforts on the Hylian.

She was nearly close enough to strike with her trident when a large, blue eye flicked towards her. Waterblight held its weapon erect and slammed it into the ground, shaking the entire floor. The force of the blow knocked an unsuspecting Mipha to the ground as Waterblight raised its spear, ready to drive it through her.

An unnatural scream of pain and frustration rang through the room as Link's sword cut through its back again. In a flash of blue, Waterblight was gone. The two Champions looked around, finally finding the creature floating in front of the control terminal as it raised its free hand. Water began pooling in the room, causing several platforms to raise with the water level.

Mipha watched worriedly as Link clambered onto one of the platforms. In a moment the entire battlefield had changed. The Hylian was like a sitting duck, with nowhere to retreat once Waterblight attacked.

The Phantom hung suspended in the air, as though taunting them for being bound to land and sea. It seemed to size Link up before it disappeared in a flash of blue light. The Hylian flipped around and threw up his shield, ready for an attack that never came.

"Link, it's above you!"

Link dove to the side, receiving a small gash on his arm from the spear that cut from above. Mipha propelled herself out of the water before the Phantom could attack again, slashing the Phantom across the chest. The distraction bought Link all the time he needed to replace his sword and shield and draw his bow.

Waterblight raised its hand and summoned ice blocks. With a wave of its hand, the projectiles chased after Mipha. The Zora lost track of Link and Waterblight as she cut through the water, taking every available opportunity to shatter her mindless attackers.

It took her far too long. She looked back at Link and Waterblight to find the Hylian covered in cuts while the Phantom only had a few arrows poking out of it. A purple hand shot out and gripped Link by the neck. He was lifted into the air as Waterblight drew its spear back.

The Zora Princess' mind began reeling as Ruta attempted to invade her consciousness. Mipha's vision blurred as a once close friend struggled for dominance. She found herself frozen in place, unable to move. More focus than had ever been required of her during her training was the only thing that kept her in control.

Waterblight, as faceless as ever, grinned at her, seemingly frozen in time as it held the quickly fading Hylian in its grasp. Mipha lurched forward, finally finding the strength to repel Ruta. She was grateful for the years of sometimes brutal training, learning to keep herself and Ruta separate. Even so, she wouldn't make it in time as Waterblight's spear flashed towards Link.

In a last-ditch effort, she reached out to Ruta. Mipha waded through the malignant mind before the Divine Beast could fight back and wrestled control back for the briefest moment. She grit her teeth in frustration as all she could do was force the ancient machine to shift its weight before it forced her out. Waterblight, unprepared for the assault and subsequent movement of the Divine Beast, reeled back and turned its massive blue eye to the Zora Princess as she leaped out of the water with her trident in hand. The mechanized eye widened as the Lightscale trident was thrust deep into the blue orb.

The Phantom threw her off as its unnatural shrieks bounced around the room. Waterblight, still suspended, began contorting as its howls continued to pierce through them. The creature shrunk in on itself as the cracking of bones joined the reverberating screams. Suddenly, the creature exploded, sending malice in every direction as Mipha brought her arms up to shield her face.

When Mipha finally let her arms down, the control room was empty except for them. She hurriedly looked for Link, finding him close by. She rushed to his side, concerned by the cuts and bruises that littered his body, especially the deep one on his throat.

"I can wait," he muttered hoarsely as he pointed towards the control terminal. She didn't like it, but she knew that Link would be unwilling to budge. It would be faster to do what they had come to do first and then heal him. Mipha helped support the Hylian as they stumbled up the stairs to the terminal. To her surprise, Link handed her the slate.

"What?"

"Ruta is yours."

She nodded and carefully set the Slate on the terminal. The once red highlights returned to a calm blue as the Divine Beast was filled with a quiet, peaceful light. Ruta trumpeted and reached out to Mipha as it had done so many years ago. Mipha greeted her old friend joyfully. Ruta's mind was no longer a festering pit of hate and despair. Rather it was filled with the glowing warmth that she remembered.

The reunion was short lived as Mipha felt Ruta preparing itself. The Divine Beast sent her comforting thoughts, tinged with sadness as it said goodbye. She didn't understand what Ruta meant until a bright flash of light filled her vision as she felt herself being plucked out of Ruta's interior.

 

* * *

"Father, while we are waiting, may I ask you something?"

"Of course, my dear," Dorephan replied. His daughter had become a bit of a nervous wreck since she had returned from Vah Ruta. He supposed that a distraction may serve her well as they waited for Link to arrive.

"When we were on the Great Plateau, we met the spirit of King Rhoam. Before we left, I promised him that I would carry a message to you."

"And what was this message?"

"He wanted me to tell you that you were right and that, if he had listened to you, we may have been able to avert this altogether."

"Oh, Rhoam," he sighed tiredly.

"May I ask why he wanted me to tell you that?"

"King Rhoam was always… rather harsh with his daughter," the King replied after a pregnant silence. "It was not because he lacked love for her but rather, he allowed his fear of Ganon to guide his actions. He put the weight of the world on Princess Zelda and you Champions."

"That sounds horrible…"

"Indeed," Dorephan murmured sorrowfully. "I tried to warn him that his callousness would only make it harder for her to unlock her sealing powers, but he refused to listen. He believed that he needed to push her even harder despite the fact that it was tearing him apart to do so."

"Is that why Zelda and I had such a hard time getting along at first?"

"Yes. She saw how her father acknowledged your dedication and progress, something that she desired for herself. I believe that his regret for his treatment of her is what truly bound him to the Great Plateau."

"I can't imagine how difficult that must have been."

"And I hope that you are always unable to," he replied with a small smile on his face. He had always strived his best to help his children understand that no matter how they failed he would love them just the same. He feared that he wasn't the parent that he could have, and should have, been but he had done the best that he possibly could. It was exhausting, trying to govern the Domain and raise two children on his own. In such moments he missed Nera dearly, but he understood that, even though it was difficult, there was a reason that all this had happened.

"Thank you for- " Mipha stopped mid-sentence as Link entered the throne room quietly. Dorephan felt a pang of sadness as he saw the Hylians attire. He was wearing a Knight's tunic while in his hands, he held the Zora armor.

"I see that you know why I summoned you," Dorephan stated impassively.

Link nodded uncomfortably.

"And what have you decided?"

Link said nothing for a long time.

"Link…" Mipha murmured quietly. The Hylian gave her a pained glance.

"I can't accept this," Link muttered. He set the armor on the ground at Dorephan's feet.

"May I ask why?"

Link shook his head. He sent Mipha one last sorrowful look and turned away.

"Link?" Mipha asked. He could almost feel the lump that he heard her speaking around.

The Hylian said nothing more as he quickly left the throne room behind. The King frowned slightly as Link, almost too quick to catch, sent a tortured glance over his shoulder.

Dorephan stared after the young man with a furrowed brow. He had seen something in those blue eyes that wasn't normally there. He discarded the thought quickly.

"Are you alright, child?"

"I can't say that I am surprised, or-" he listened as she continued rambling incoherently, trying to explain to herself what had just happened. Finally, a soft "no," found its way out.

"I know this may be difficult for you to accept, but-"

"Will we be able to remain friends?" The King saw the desperation in her eyes.

"The two of you have forged a bond that not many can hope to rival. I have no doubt that if you two wish to be friends, you will find a way to make it work." In truth, he had no idea if they could or would, however, he saw no reason for Mipha to know that. Even so, he believed every word he spoke.

"I see…" he could see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Come here," he murmured as he scooped her up and held her close. "Remember that this too shall pass." He held her for some time, finally putting her down when the tears stopped. "I think it would be good for you to get some rest now, my dear. It would be unfortunate if our guests of honor collapsed during the celebration."

"Celebration?"

"We've had not one, but two victories today. I think that is worth celebrating, wouldn't you agree?"

She nodded and quietly wished him a goodnight, wandering out, as though lost, afterward. The King sat back and closed his eyes, losing himself in the problem Link had presented him.

Dorephan was familiar enough with him to know how the Hylian expressed himself. It didn't take much to see that something was wrong.

"Captain Bazz!" he called as his eyes snapped open. The Zora guard stepped in wordlessly. "Bring Laflat to me. I have need of her," he murmured ardently as he leaned down and picked up the forgotten armor.

He wasn't fond of involving himself in the affairs of others, but sometimes, especially where his children were concerned, it just couldn't be helped.

* * *

"I'm okay," Mipha sniffed quietly. "This is okay… it has to be, doesn't it?" The girl's voice cracked as she spoke. She was staring off into space, too drained to even cry.

"No, it doesn't," Urbosa replied quietly.

"What?"

"It doesn't have to be okay," Urbosa repeated as she wrapped an arm around the Zora Princess. She pulled Mipha in, allowing the Zora's head to rest on her shoulder. She ran a comforting hand up and down Mipha's arm. "Soon enough it will all have to be all right, but right here, right now, it doesn't have to be. Right now, it can be awful."

"But- "

"But what? There is no one else that has to know about this. It will stay between you and me."

"Thank you… mother…"

Urbosa raised a brow and looked down at the girl whose head rested on her shoulder. Though she was still awake, her eyes had long grown heavy and her breathing grew deeper by the second.

The Gerudo Champion gently extricated herself and lowered Mipha so that she was laying down. She stared down at the young girl and shook her head. It wasn't right that one who was little more than a child was forced to bear so much. If she had it her way, Link, Revali, and Mipha wouldn't have had to take part in this fight at all.

She sighed and silently left Mipha to rest. The Gerudo Champion made her way to the inn as she reflected on the past few days. She knew that she should be reveling in their latest victory but deep down she felt as though nothing had truly been accomplished. Some nameless force was driving her to keep pushing forward. No matter how she tried to convince herself that they had completed the first step to defeating Ganon, the feeling that it wasn't enough persisted.

Urbosa's eyebrows furrowed together as she stepped into the inn. In the foyer stood the King's secretary holding a package that she gripped tightly. The woman's eyes lit up as they settled on her.

"Lady Urbosa," she began earnestly, "King Dorephan has asked me to pass a message along to you."

"Oh?"

"Yes. He hopes that you would accept this," Laflat replied as she handed over the package, "and that you would place it among Master Link's possessions."

"What is it, exactly?" She knew exactly what was in the package. The King didn't exactly strike her as someone that gave in at the first no. She imagined that he was one to patiently press, slowly breaking one down as water erodes a stone.

"He said that you would know." The woman spoke with a mixture of nerves and curiosity as though she wanted to know what lay under the wrappings, but was fearful of what she would find.

The Gerudo shook her head. This wasn't exactly an action she approved of, however, she could understand the desire to take care of one's kin. She also couldn't deny that he likely had a good reason for sneaking the object in rather than forcing it upon him knowingly. The embodiment of the spirit of water indeed.

"Very well," Urbosa murmured as she took the parcel. "Tell him he owes me for this."

"I… uh- "

"And I intend to collect."

Laflat quailed under the Gerudo's austere gaze, that was until Urbosa's laughter broke the spell. The Zora woman giggled lightly as well, albeit uncertainly.

"Tell your King that I'll take care of it."

Laflat nodded gratefully and excused herself as Urbosa entered the shared room of the inn. It wasn't particularly to her liking, far to open and lacking walls, but sleeping in a proper bed would likely make up for it.

Revali sat on one of the waterbeds that had been offered them for their part in protecting the Zoras' home. Daruk stood beside him, watching over Revali's shoulder as the Rito slackened his bowstring and sorted through his arrows. Her gaze lingered on Link, who sat on his own waterbed, staring at the only wall expressionlessly. His belongings lay beside him, within easy reach.

She knelt down and opened the satchel that lay next to his sword and placed the package within its depths

"What?" she asked as Link eyed her warily. "Isn't a proper gentleman supposed to carry a lady's personal effects?"

"Proper gentleman?" Revali snorted, not even bothering to look up from his arrows.

"You wouldn't understand, Feathers."

"Oh and why- "

"Don't ask that," Daruk grumbled.

"Hmph."

"Oh, stop pouting."

"Why do I even bother?"

"That's what we've all been asking since the beginning."

"Will you two lay off for once?" Daruk asked tiredly. "It's been a long day and I feel like I got bowled over by an Octorok."

"I suppose I could play nice just this once."

"Whatever."

"Good enough for me," the Goron sighed. "While we're all here, I think we should plan our next move."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking we should head back to Kakariko before we head to Death Mountain."

"Kakariko?"

"Yeah. I think it would be a good idea for us to rest and… uh, regroup a bit before we move onto the next Divine Beast."

"You can't be serious," Revali scoffed. "You expect us to put everything on hold because those two- " he continued as he gestured to Link, "- are feeling sorry for themselves."

Link didn't respond but his eyes flicked to Revali coolly.

"It isn't a terrible idea," Urbosa murmured as she tapped her fingers on her waist.

"You can't be serious!"

"I am. Even if Link and Mipha didn't need time to collect themselves, there is still the matter of what we don't know."

"Like what?" Revali asked snidely.

"I'm shooting in the dark here but I think there may be a reason it's called Death Mountain."

"As far as we know, I might be the only one who can get up there," Daruk added.

"Fine! Let's just waste more time, shall we?"

"We're not wasting time, Feathers, we're preparing."

Revali snorted and turned away. Daruk and Urbosa exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

"Well," Daruk muttered somberly, "I guess that means it's back to Kakariko." The Goron plopped down unceremoniously on the waterbed next to Revali. As he did so, the bed burst, spraying water everywhere, catching Revali, Urbosa, and Link.

"Are you serious!" Revali squawked as shot out of his bed.

"Really, Big Guy? I just got dry."

"What in Din's name made you think that you could just sit on a waterbed?" Revali asked disbelievingly.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to- " Daruk stopped as he heard something unexpected. Link sat on his bed, laughing as he watched the Goron clamber off the ruined bed. Urbosa, shocked by the sudden outburst of expression, stared dumbfounded. Before long, she and Daruk joined in, and Revali, as little as he approved, soon joined in.

They sat around the fire in the front of the inn, drying off yet again. As they joked and talked of their time apart, Urbosa felt oddly at peace. Despite the knowledge that they were nowhere near finished, little moments like these made it all worth it.

* * *

Zelda remained vigilant, as she had from the beginning, while her friends slept. She had missed them dearly over the many years that they had slumbered. Even though they would struggle, and possibly receive worse scars than those they had now, she was still comforted by their presence, by the knowledge that hope still existed.

Her attention was drawn to mountaintop not far away from where her friends slept. There, having taken position after the Blight was destroyed, sat Vah Ruta. The Divine Beast had used an underwater passage to travel to the top of the mountain. From there it had settled and fired a red beam at the castle. At one point, she would have assumed that it was the superweapon that had been hinted at in the ancient texts she had studied. Now, after using Ganon's connection to the Beasts to study them further, she knew it was the targeting system.

" _You never change, do you?"_ a voice whispered smoothly. Despite the fact that the voice echoed through her mind, the malice that swirled around her reverberated in response as though it were the physical embodiment of it.

"Ganon?"

" _Who else?"_ If she had been expecting to hear the voice of the Calamity, she would have expected a howl, a roar, anything other than the refined voice that murmured quietly to her. _"I see that even after I nearly killed them the first time, you still believe you can win."_

"Good will always triumph no matter ho- " she shuddered as Ganon's laugh overrode her voice. It sickened her that neither his voice nor his laugh conveyed what he truly was.

" _Forgive me,"_ he sneered. _"I forgot how naive you are."_

She tried to speak but words failed her.

" _I see that you don't understand."_ The beast sounded thoughtful, almost pitying. _"There was a time when I too believed that I was the good in the world. Then I learned a truth that some find… difficult."_

"What?" Though she needed neither food nor water while sealed away, her throat felt dry as she asked the question.

" _Good, Evil… neither really exist,"_ He said patiently as though explaining it to a child who wouldn't know any different. _"Both are lies conceived by those who lack the power and conviction to chase their aspirations and they use it as a pathetic excuse to justify the actions that they do take."_

"You're wrong!"

" _Am I? Tell me, girl, did you know that your ancestors committed genocide?"_

"What?"

" _The Sheikah were not always housed in Hyrule. They came, millennia ago, seeking asylum. In an effort to convince your 'benevolent' ancestors of their worth, they created the Guardians and the Divine Beasts. When the Royal Family witnessed these creations, they painted Hyrule with the blood of the Sheikah, leaving only enough for them to barely carry on."_

"That can't be…"

" _If only your people had accepted their offerings. Maybe then there would have been no need for the Hero of Time,"_ Ganon chuckled. There was little regard for her distress as he continued. _"Do you see, girl? There is no such thing as good and evil. There are only those who are willing to accept their actions and those who try to justify them."_

"You're wrong," Zelda said again. A strange calmness had overtaken her. She couldn't put it into words but she knew that Ganon had become so twisted that he could no longer see the truth. Or perhaps it was his own way of justifying the role he had taken.

" _We shall see soon enough,"_ Ganon answered pleasantly. _"But know this,"_ he murmured as his presence began to withdraw, _"in time, you will know despair."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has only been up on FF.net for a few hours and already I have gotten people sending me unhappy PMs because I burnt the Lipha ship.  
> First off, sometimes things should be broken so we can rebuild them.  
> Secondly, why is this being compared to a Fish out of Water... that fic is infinitely better than mine.
> 
> On another note, classes have started back up. That means that updates will likely slow. I found this out last time on FF, but I know that sometimes people get worried as to whether or not I'll be back. Feel free to leave a comment asking me where I am or what I've been doing with my life and I will try to respond quickly (it makes me feel important, so win-win). A side note on that, please don't leave comments that are advertisements as they don't actually help me improve, especially if they aren't in English.
> 
> I hope you all have a great day.


	13. Return to Kakariko

"…. And that is how I managed to single-handedly save your beloved Domain," Revali finished with a flourish. The children who had been listening to the Rito's tale cheered as he bowed.

"Did he really just refer to himself as the Hero of Winds?" Urbosa asked incredulously. It hadn't been the first time she had asked the question and Daruk didn't blame her. It just didn't quite fit Revali.

"Was I really that out of it during the fight?" he asked, face already forming a cringe. His memory had grown hazy not long after drinking the elixir he had bought from Beedle.

"That was one of the few things he got right, surprisingly."

Daruk groaned.

"Oh, stop you. It was adorable watching a giant Goron shushing himself repeatedly."

"I did what?"

"Well, Revali and I had to quiet you down so many times that eventually you started shushing yourself no matter how loud you were," Urbosa replied as she traced the lip of her cup with a finger. He disliked the poorly concealed grin on her face. "You kept putting your finger to your lips as though you were telling a child to be quiet, but you would be whisper- "

"I get it."

"You sure? I haven't even told you the best part yet."

"I'd rather not hear it."

"Since when are you such a stick in the mud? I can remember a time when you were so excited that you were willing to break our backs."

"We're still on that?"

"I made a promise, didn't I?"

"For once, I wish you'd break it."

Urbosa chuckled as Sidon appeared as if from nowhere.

"Thank you both for helping me protect my home!"

"No problem," Daruk replied with a grin. He frowned as Sidon gave him a funny look, as though the Prince wasn't entirely sure he was speaking to the right person. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Sorry. I just did not expect you to be so… quiet."

Urbosa choked on her drink, causing both to look at her with concern.

"Are you well, Lady Urbosa."

"I'm fine. I just wasn't expecting my knight in shining armor to have a sense of humor after all."

"Your what?" Daruk asked.

"Um… Lady Urbosa, as beautiful, wise, and kind as you are, I would much rather remain friends. I hope that you are not too insul- " the Prince paused as the Gerudo Champion began snickering again, "I see that you are joking again."

"Is this something that runs in the family?"

"No," Mipha replied quietly as she joined them. "Our father has an excellent sense of humor as did our mother."

"She did?"

"Yes. You probably do not remember because you were so young."

"Ah…"

"Here's the question that's truly important," Urbosa interrupted seriously. Daruk shook his head. He knew what was coming next.

"Yes?"

"If your lack of humor isn't genetic, is your father's massive girth?"

"What!?" Daruk chuckled as Mipha stood there, completely flabbergasted.

"His massive what?" Sidon asked.

"Is weight going to be an issue? I know it may not be a problem here but if our little Zora Princess started putting on that much weight, that could make traveling…" she set a finger on her chin as she sent Mipha a sly smile "difficult."

"Oh, I see your point," Sidon murmured.

"Sidon!"

"What? She does have a point. Father struggles to move around anymore. Then again, maybe that's because the Domain is small compared to him."

"That won't happen to me though!"

"How do you know?"

"Mother was so tiny, barely taller than me!"

"My, my, Mipha, must you really get so worked up over a little question?"

"I think that's enough," Daruk muttered in the Gerudo's ear quietly.

"Oh, very well."

Daruk exchanged a small grin with her as Mipha and Sidon continued their squabbling. He didn't remember whether or not he had a family but if he did, that was about how he wanted them to act. Loving each other enough to do what they had to for the other even though they didn't always get along.

"What do you think you're doing?!" a voice screeched. Daruk looked over to find Revali, who was still surrounded by Zora children, being shouted down by a flat-topped Elder.

"For the love of Hylia and all she holds dear," Urbosa growled. The Gerudo Champion took to her feet and glided gracefully towards the two. Daruk got up to follow, not entirely sure why she was so irritable now.

"I'll not have you corrupting the minds of our youth!" the Elder continued. Daruk was surprised to see the Rito allowing his protests to be overridden. Normally, he escalated an argument until it was a shouting match on both ends.

"It's amazing they still have minds to be corrupted if they are forced to listen to you all day, Master Muzu," Urbosa interjected before the Elder could get another word in.

"What?"

"All that screeching you do. I'm sure it isn't beneficial for developing minds in the slightest."

"I happen to see to that they receive the best education that they can- "

"Do you really? Does that involve teaching them how to impersonate a Keese?" Daruk grinned in spite of the situation. The group had to fend off several colonies of the bat-like monsters on their way to the Domain. Now that he thought about it, Muzu did sound disturbingly like one.

"I do not-" the elder paused and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly before continuing at a much lower tone. "I do not sound like a Keese," he growled.

"Oh Muzu," Urbosa replied in her motherly voice, "the first step to solving any problem is to first admit that there is a problem."

Muzu glared daggers at her before turning sharply on his heel and storming away.

Daruk frowned. There was something he had been waiting for but whatever it was eluded him.

"You good?" he finally asked as he turned to Revali. Seeing the confused and slightly awed gaze of the Rito was when it hit him. Revali hadn't made any snide comments during the entire exchange, or afterward. It was unlike the Rito Champion to be so quiet, especially when he was the one that was being rebuked.

"I'm fine," Revali replied as he shook himself, quickly wiping the expression away. "What?" he asked as Urbosa gave him a hard look. "I neither needed nor wanted your help."

"You know, I don't think a thank you is entirely uncalled for."

"A thank you?" he asked incredulously. Daruk sighed as he realized they were about to make a very public scene. "I had it perfectly under – what in Din's name are you doing!?" he shouted as Daruk picked him up and flung him over his shoulder.

"If we're gonna make a scene, we should do it right," he muttered darkly. He turned back to the small audience they had attracted. "Thank you all for the party, but it's time for us to get goin'!"

A collective "aww" passed through the children.

"Oh, don't worry little ones," Urbosa said. "I'm sure Feathers and crazy uncle Daruk will come to visit you again."

"And you too?" one of the children asked excitedly.

"I am a terribly busy woman, but I think I could find time to visit you again."

They cheered as the Champions waved and turned towards the entrance of the Zora city.

* * *

Link remained still and silent as Muzu gave him a hard look. Sidon stood beside the Elder, watching the two intently but saying nothing.

"I am not sure I should be giving this to you, in light of what has happened between you and Lady Mipha, but even so…" The Elder continued before letting out a long sigh. "I suppose that we still owe you a debt, regardless. Take this," he murmured as he handed Link a trident. "I had Dento craft it for you as thanks for your part in saving our home and as an engagement gift. I suppose only one of those is applicable now."

Link hid a grimace as he took the trident. Though the highlights were blue instead of red and Dento had forgone much of the ornamentation, it still looked far too much like the Lightscale Trident.

"As much as I disapprove of your decision, I cannot say that it was wrong," Muzu spoke with an uncharacteristic gentleness. "If you are not yet able to handle the requirements of marriage or even engagement, then it is better that you refused. Know this though," the Elder continued as his voice hardened again, "I still expect you to treat her with the respect and dignity demanded by her station."

Link nodded as he set the Trident in the pouch at his waist.

"Good. May the Goddess be ever at your side." Muzu turned away before Link could reply and made his way back to the Domain slowly. He could just see three of his companions coming his way. He idly wondered where Revali was but discarded the thought quickly.

"I must say that I am sorry to see you go," Sidon murmured as they watched Muzu pull Mipha into a hug. "There is still so much I wanted to speak with you about, especially concerning… my sister."

The Hylian's brows knit together as he tried to read the impassive look that the tall Zora Prince gave him.

"I suppose this will have to do what I cannot!" he said enthusiastically as he shoved something giddily into Link's hands. He looked down at the object in his hands. It was a small, leather-bound book.

"What is this?"

"That is a complicated matter, but I finally remembered where I first remember learning your name," Sidon muttered, looking almost ashamed. The Prince sent a quick glance towards where the other Champions had stopped. He leaned down towards Link as he continued, "Suffice it to say that you should not tell Mipha about this."

Link frowned.

"She would be most upset, though I think she may thank me for it one day. Just please promise me you will not tell her!"

"Why?" It wasn't that he distrusted Sidon or his motives, however, that didn't mean that he wasn't wary of the Prince's unusual behavior.

"She would be mortified," Sidon replied nervously.

Link frowned to himself. The young Prince meant well even though his help could possibly come at the expense of his sister's dignity.

"Alright." If for whatever reason, what he found harmed Mipha, he could always return it and forget whatever it was he had read.

"Thank you!" Sidon exclaimed. His cheer quieted down to a friendly smile as he stuck out a hand. Link took it with a small smile of his own, which quickly morphed to surprise as the Prince pulled him into a hug. "No matter what happens between you and Mipha, you will always be my brother." The Prince set him down and assumed his favorite stance.

Link nodded, this time grinning at his childhood friend.

"So, Sidon… where's my hug?" Sidon's face turned a disturbing shade of red as Urbosa gave him an expectant look with arms opened wide.

"That's... I mean to say… uh."

"So, Link gets an intimate goodbye, but I don't?"

"It's not that I am opposed!" Sidon replied, nearly tripping over his own words, "I just don't know what you are trying to… " he hung his head as he realized that she had once again managed to entertain herself by making him uncomfortable.

"Oh great- " Link had to suppress his own laughter as he finally saw Revali. The Rito had been flung over Daruk's shoulder and was now doing his best to appear as though he wasn't angry about this. "- now there are two of them."

"Are you sure you want to be drawing attention to yourself, Feathers?"

"Shut up," he replied tiredly. "Can we just please get moving?"

"He's right. Let's get a move on."

"Hold on, Big Guy. I think these two deserve a minute alone," Urbosa replied as she gestured to Sidon and Mipha.

"Right. We'll be waitin' over there."

Link moved with the others, still holding the book Sidon had given him. As he waited with the others, his curiosity got the better of him and he flipped it open to a random page.

_This morning when I woke, I felt the pain of her loss again. No matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to move past her death. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be free of this pain. When I brought my concerns to father's attention he, wise as he ever was, waylaid my worries._

_In spite of that, I will admit though that for the first time in what feels like an eternity, I feel some hope. I met someone today, a small Hylian boy named Link. Even though the children of the Domain normally avoid me, he reached out and included me in their game. He was so kind…_

_I hope that we can be friends…_

Link slammed the book shut and stuffed it quickly into his pouch. He shook his head quickly, as though trying to dislodge the memories of what he had read.

"You okay, Little Guy?"

He realized he was nodding a little to fast even as he did so. He noticed Urbosa watching him out of the corner of his eyes. Though he had no reason to believe that she knew, he couldn't shake the impression that she was aware of what it was he had been reading.

"I am sorry that took so long. Even now, my brother still struggles to understand that there is not always time for lengthy conversations."

Link's eyes met with Mipha's. The Zora Princess looked away quickly, fidgeting and adjusting her jewelry as she did so. Link looked at the ground, quickly pushing down the emotions that welled up inside him. He had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with them.

"Uh… alright! Back to Kakariko!" Daruk called.

"Hey, wait up!" a shrill voice called. They looked over their shoulders to see Purah sprinting towards them followed closely by Symin. The child's body stumbled over the rocks and twigs that littered the path that she ran on. "Jeez," she panted as she reached them, trying to catch her breath, "I thought you guys would wait for us."

"What?" Daruk questioned.

"I never thought your amnesia would make you so ruuuude."

"How were we expected to know that you were coming?" Urbosa had set her hand on her hip was eyeing the duo, making it clear that she was demanding an explanation.

"I sent Symin to let you know we were coming. You let them know, didn't you?" she asked as she rounded on her assistant.

"Uh…"

"Why do I rely on you for anything?" Purah sighed as she set her small hand on her face. "Well," she continued as she turned to the Champions, perking up as she did so, "we're coming with you!" she finished proudly.

"…Uh… okay. Well, like I was saying, let's get a move on."

"Can you at least put me down?"

* * *

The Hylian Champion stared with dead eyes at the building before him. Impa's home was no less grand the second time around, yet Link was unmoved by the beautiful structure. In fact, little had moved him since leaving the Domain. Though he had regained a few pleasant memories while in his home, his past failures still weighed heavily on him. It hadn't ended there though, he had lost Mipha as well.

Though the Zora Princess was as kind as she had been before, it wasn't the same as it had been. They no longer spoke unless it was to exchange pleasantries, no longer exchanged mirthful glances while Daruk tried to match Urbosa's wit. They couldn't even sit at the same table alone. Though physically she was no more distant than she had been before, it as though there was an unbridgeable gap between them.

He hadn't realized how much he had relied on her companionship until it was gone.

Link had been forced to sever himself from all of his emotions, so he wouldn't be crushed by guilt and sorrow. He hadn't meant to hurt her, but he was also unwilling to budge. It wasn't that he didn't care for her but everything that he could remember so far told him, screamed at him that it was the wrong decision. The only consolation that he had was Midna. The wolf had seemed to sense his discontent and had been mildly more affectionate, sitting closer beside him than normal.

His eyes flicked over to the Zora Champion as she held the palm of her hand against Urbosa's forehead. Mipha had been concerned about the Gerudo Champion since they had left the Domain and for good reason. Urbosa, despite her objections, had been growing weaker with each passing day. Her voice had grown hoarse and that morning she had begun coughing.

"You need to rest," Mipha murmured as she removed her hand from the woman's forehead.

"I'm fine."

"You are not. Urbosa you must lay down and rest."

"I appreciate the concern but- "

"Now!"

Urbosa's eyes widened as the usually soft-spoken Princess took hold of her arm and began dragging her towards the inn not far away. The Gerudo Champion followed the Zora obediently, likely still in shock from the unexpected outburst.

"I didn't think she had that in her," Daruk muttered dazedly.

"She spoke to Sidon and I like that." Link wasn't really surprised that Mipha had snapped at her. Though the Zora Princess was patient, even she could only put up with so much.

"Really?"

"Don't we have more important things to worry about?" Revali growled impatiently.

"C'mon Revali. Don't be like that."

"Like what?"

"She's one of us." Link watched as Revali met Daruk's frown with a glare, grateful for a temporary respite from his thoughts. Seconds passed and finally, Revali folded his wings and looked away, huffing something under his breath. Link would have pondered the lack of an actual confrontation if Dorian hadn't returned to inform them that Impa was ready to see them.

The four made their way up the stairs and through the doors quickly. Link nodded in greeting as Impa's eyes found him. She returned the greeting before turning her attention to the others.

"Sorry that Urbosa and Mipha couldn't- "

"I am aware of her condition," Impa interrupted as she raised a hand. "Several of our people are working to help Lady Mipha." She analyzed them for a moment before her eyebrows knit together. "What? Do you really think that I would not know if one of you was on the verge of collapsing, especially on my doorstep?"

"I guess I didn't think about that."

"Speaking of what I hear, I see that you did not hesitate to disregard my advice about acting discreetly," she muttered dryly. "I received a letter from King Dorephan detailing your ventures in the Domain among other things."

"Other things?" Revali asked skeptically.

"He had much to say about how I hid Mipha's condition from him. And here I thought I was too old to be lectured."

"Uh… sorry."

"Don't be," Impa sighed. "With her friends and family still alive and a statue of her in the city's center, it was bound to happen eventually." The Elder sighed again, shaking her head slowly. "Though I think I know the answer, I still feel the need to ask: is my sister avoiding me?"

None of the remaining champions responded.

"I see." Link was surprised to see a brief flash of sadness age her before she cast it off. "Well, no matter. May I ask why you have returned?"

"I wanted to ask you about something," Daruk replied as he scratched at his beard. "How could Ganon conquer the Divine Beasts?"

"That I do not know," Impa replied slowly. "Link, would you mind telling me about what you found aboard the Divine Beast."

Link obliged, filling in every detail he could, minus his conversation with Mipha. The Elder sat in contemplative silence as Link spoke, likely attempting to piece together the nature of Waterblight.

"Have you asked Purah about this?"

"She could only speculate," Revali answered.

"And?" Impa asked expectantly.

"Do you honestly think any of us understood her technical jabbering. Even Mipha wasn't quite sure what she was talking about."

"Yeah, she lost me about three words in."

Link just shrugged when Impa looked at him. He had recognized the majority of the words Purah had used and could even define them. Even so, he had only caught the meaning of some of her ramblings. He shifted uneasily as Impa continued staring at him as though knowing he could recite some of what he had heard.

"She mentioned something about Ganon potentially being able to mimic thought patterns long enough to confuse the Divine Beasts."

"So, I see the time you spent with Zelda yielded more than just a friendship."

Link met her gaze with a questioning look.

"I've heard my sister 'attempt' to explain her science. Most people, including those most would consider brilliant, become lost. It would help if she was explaining rather than talking to herself with others. It is most impressive that you can explain even a small part of what she said."

The Hylian rubbed the back of his head at the Elder's praise. He couldn't imagine that idle flattery was in her repertoire but that didn't make it any easier to accept.

"I suppose Ganon would only need to get through the door," Impa continued to herself thoughtfully. "Once he got that far, I imagine that it would be a simple matter for him to overwhelm their minds. But what exactly is Waterblight?"

"Zelda said it was made to kill Mipha."

"Perhaps it was created using Ruta's impression of Mipha, using their bond and Ganon's malice to form a monster that was a reflection of her," Impa murmured thoughtfully.

"Mipha isn't evil," Link mumbled quietly.

"No," Impa replied, "but that doesn't mean that Waterblight can't reflect some of her. Even one as pure as she has darkness inside of her. Vah Ruta likely provided enough of a map for Ganon to create a creature in her likeness with which to control the Divine Beast."

"So he confused Ruta with a fake Mipha?" Daruk asked as he rubbed the side of his head.

"A simplified version but I suppose it is just speculation anyway," Impa chuckled.

Link's thoughts turned back to the fight with Waterblight. Now that he thought about it, it was odd that the phantom hadn't killed him when it was able. It had held him by the throat, nearly incapacitating him, yet it didn't strike. Instead, it seemed to be making a spectacle of him. Perhaps it had been aware of how important he was to her. He stopped the train of thought before it could go any further. It would do him no good to reflect on the past.

"Link, are you still with us?" Impa's voice cut through his thoughts. The old woman was eyeing him with a raised brow.

He nodded quickly.

"Well, as I was saying, I would not count on the other Divine Beasts being reclaimed so easily. It is likely that you caught Ganon by surprise. I think it is safe to say that you exercise extreme caution from here on out."

"Will do."

"I was surprised to hear that you were returning. As it is, it's fortunate you have paid us a visit. I have a favor to ask of you, Link." If Link didn't know any better, he would have been sure that the smile the Sheikah was giving him was hiding some mischievous intent.

* * *

"How is she?" Revali asked as he entered the room quietly. The rooms in the Shuteye Inn reflected the Sheikah lifestyle perfectly, sparsely furnished but still conveying comfort. If there wasn't so much to do, he may have considered staying for a time. Though he secretly enjoyed acting flamboyantly, he didn't see the need for excess.

"Her fever is worsening," Mipha replied worriedly as she retracted her hand from Urbosa's forehead. The Gerudo Champion's breathing was labored as her eyes darted every which way under their lids. "I fear that our time in this region has been a shock to her immune system. Would you mind staying with her while I go gather ingredients?"

"…Alright," he sighed.

"Thank you." The Zora Princess smiled graciously and stood up as though she hadn't heard the tone in his voice. "I should not be gone for long." He watched her step out of the room before turning back to the Gerudo Champion.

He found it unsettling to see her in such a state. The woman, even lacking the strength she had a century ago, seemed stronger than life itself. Even against the army of Lizalfo, she had only received a few cuts and bruises. It had never occurred to him that she could be waylaid by sickness yet here she was. To see her so ill was an unwelcome reminder that death was waiting to take them at any opportunity.

Urbosa groaned as her eyes continued rolling restlessly.

The Rito looked around the room. He spotted a washbasin and towel sitting on the lonely desk in the corner. He picked up the towel and dipped into the pull, wringing it out. He moved back beside his companion and placed the towel gently on her forehead. He took a small pitcher of water and, pouring some into a small cup, helped her drink.

Revali sat back and stared at his feverish companion.

"Goddesses, you're annoying," he finally griped. "You just have to keep poking fun at me, making me feel like a fool at every turn. I never get to be right when you're around. It's always 'Revali do this,' or 'Revali do that.' Why is it never 'good job Revali?' He glared at her as she shifted again. "Who am I kidding? You can't even get my name right!" he spat. The muscles around his beak began to ache as they pulled together tighter and tighter. "Can't you just admit for once that I have as much right to be here as you?" he asked quietly as his hands clenched in his lap.

He sighed as she shifted position, causing the towel to start sliding down.

"I suppose you aren't completely awful," he muttered as he gingerly replaced the towel. "I mean you'd almost be pretty if you didn't open your mouth."

Revali flipped around, panicked as he heard the door creak open. Mipha entered and wordlessly took a place next to Urbosa. The Zora Champion removed a bottle from her belt and swirled the contents before gently pouring them down Urbosa's throat. Mipha sat down and stared through everything, lost in her own little world.

"How long until she's better?"

Mipha gave no indication that she heard him.

"Hey, listen!" he snapped.

She jerked and looked at him as though it were the first time she had laid eyes on the Rito.

"How long until she's better?" he repeated.

"Soon…"

"And how soon is soon?"

"She will be better when she is better," Mipha replied curtly.

"And how long- "

"I already answered your question!" Mipha snapped. A hand immediately covered her mouth as her eyes widened. "I'm- I'm so sorry! Excuse me!" she stammered. She got up and nearly sprinted out of the room.

Revali was too shocked to say anything. Before the thought passed through his mind, he curled a fist and punched the wall with a silent curse. For days now Mipha and Link had been acting differently, and everyone seemed to know something he didn't. Constantly being left out of the loop irked him to no end. The Rito let out one last frustrated sigh before sitting back down stiffly and glaring at the Gerudo Champion as though she were to blame for all of his woes. His attacking eyes missed the slight crack in her eyelids through which she stared back.

* * *

Link watched the nervous young woman out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure that his presence was doing what Impa had intended. She had informed him that Paya felt threatened by something and had asked him to act as her guard throughout the day to put her at ease. Instead, he was certain that his presence was doing the exact opposite. Every time he looked at her directly, the young woman would begin blushing furiously and begin stammering excuses about something incomprehensible.

He repressed a sigh as he continued following her, doing his best to stay out of her line of sight while avoiding looking at her directly. He couldn't shake the feeling that the acts were familiar. It had taken him almost no time at all to find her blind spots and hide in them, which had made her more uncomfortable at first. He knew that given time, she would be able to pretend he wasn't there.

For every action that felt familiar, there was an unexpected reaction from Paya. He expected her to complain about being able to take of herself when he stuck close; instead, she would stammer about it not being worth his time. It wasn't a bad familiar, but it still didn't sit well with him. He wanted something nostalgic, something to remind him of the very few good memories he had.

Unfortunately, most revolved around Mipha.

His hand flew to the hilt above his shoulder and his senses went on high alert as he heard Paya shriek. Various questions were running through his mind as he wondered who would attack her in the middle of the day and how they had gotten past him. He sighed and relaxed as he finally laid eyes on her "attacker." Paya, who must have been too busy staring at him to notice, had bumped into a woman carrying a large wicker basket filled to the brim with fruits and vegetables. Paya scrambled around, trying to help the woman reclaim the food while stuttering over an apology.

"You needn't worry," the woman chuckled as she knelt on the ground to help. "These things happen sometimes."

Link knelt down beside Paya and calmly helped pick up the now soiled food. He hefted the basket up when it was filled, surprised that such a small woman could carry such a load. He looked at her more closely, though it did little to help him. The woman wore a large cloak with the hood pulled over her head. Shadows obscured her face, cloaking her in mystery, yet she radiated a sense of peace.

"A gentleman through and through," she mused as she began walking, "I suppose that has always been who you are."

His eyebrows knit together as he and Paya followed her through the village. She spoke as though she knew him and was fond of him.

"C-c-can I a-ask your name?"

"You may call me Fi."

"F-fi? I'm s-so sorry f-for bumping into you."

"Put it out of your mind," Fi replied kindly as she smiled reassuringly at the young woman over her shoulder. "You may set that here," she murmured to Link as she stopped in front of a door.

Link moved to open the door, but Fi lay a hand on his arm before he could.

"This is not my home. Leave it out here, so that they may rest easy."

He nodded and set the basket on the ground, pausing as he took one last look at the contents. What had once been dirty and bruised now looked freshly picked. He shook his head slowly. Now really wasn't the time for him to be seeing things.

"Hmm…" the hooded woman hummed as she sized Link up. "I have been meaning to visit the Spring of Wisdom atop Mount Lanayru; however, as you have undoubtedly seen, even the roads are dangerous these days. I could certainly use an escort if you are willing that is."

Link frowned thoughtfully. He did indeed wish to travel with her a bit longer if only to learn more about her. Besides, something about her set him at ease in spite of her peculiarity. Her presence, even in the minute amount of time he had spent with her, was more motherly than even Urbosa's. That being said, he had a feeling that the others would not approve of an unplanned detour.

"Don't worry. I will make sure that you and your friends do not go unrewarded," she said as though she were sharing his thoughts.

His eyes narrowed. How did she know about the others?

"Do you really believe that the six of you could come here and not be the talk of the town?" She knelt down next to Midna and began running her hand down the wolf's back. Midna, normally reluctant to allow even Link to touch her at times, was completely at ease with the woman's touch. "I hear even this one is an accomplished member of your group." Midna appeared to be somewhat crestfallen when Fi straightened herself.

He stared at Fi, trying to gain some bit of information from her, but no matter how hard he searched her, there was nothing he could glean.

"At least think on it, won't you?"

Link nodded after a moment, feeling warmth in his heart as Fi smiled.

* * *

"Thank you, Link." Impa gave him an apologetic smile as Paya moved to her room on the floor above. "I fear I owe you an apology. Paya has been thinking about you ever since your first visit. I had hoped to give her a gift of sorts, which was being able to spend the day with you. Had I known what had happened between you and Mipha, I would not have acted so carelessly. I am sorry."

Link just shrugged. It wasn't her fault that any of it had happened.

"You know, sometimes you are a bit too forgiving. If I may pass on something that took me years to learn, it is alright to be upset sometimes. Balance is key, young man."

Link frowned. He didn't have time to get worked up, to let his mind become clouded. He had already spent too much time focusing on himself.

"I see you don't understand yet," Impa murmured sadly. "I suppose it is something you will have to discover for yourself. As it is, is there any way I can repay you?"

"I met a woman named Fi- "

"So, I heard. May I presume you wish me to share what I know of her?"

"Yes. She asked me to escort her to Mount Lanayru."

"... Do you know the significance of the name Fi?" Impa asked quietly.

He shook his head as the Elder's eyes contemplated him.

"Fi was the name born by an ancient servant of the Goddess… that is the extent of what I know."

Link's face twisted in confusion. Impa seemed to know everything about everyone, yet in her village was a woman who she knew nothing about.

"I have tried to look into her," Impa explained, frustration bleeding through her normally calm demeanor, "however, there is nothing to be found. No family, no friends other than those who she has befriended here, no records of any kind. The only thing I have are wild speculations," Impa muttered darkly. The old woman closed her eyes and bowed her head, losing herself in her thoughts once more.

Link frowned. It was disconcerting to think he had stumbled into someone that not even the leader of the Sheikah knew anything about. With all of her considerable resources, she should have been able to find even the smallest hint as to the woman's past.

"... I cannot say that the idea of visiting Mount Lanayru doesn't have its merits," Impa finally murmured. "I believe it may hold a certain significance for you and the others. Visiting the Spring of Wisdom may help enlighten you in regards to the past. Even so, please tread carefully. Even if Fi proves to be a friend, there are other threats lurking in the shadows."

Link nodded.

"Very well. I suggest you return to the inn and discuss your change of plans with the others."

He nodded once more and turned away.

"One last thing, old friend." He stopped to listen as she spoke one last time. "I understand that you carry much guilt within you for the events in your past. I would hate to see you grow old and bitter because you have not learned to forgive yourself."

He knew she couldn't see his face tighten, but he had a feeling she knew just the same.

Link sighed as he sat down on his bed letting his head rest in his hands. The day's events had exhausted him, but then he had been forced to convince Daruk, Revali, and Mipha that traveling to Mount Lanayru was a worthwhile goal. Daruk and Mipha hadn't taken much, just the knowledge that Impa approved. Revali had taken more effort, but eventually, even he had been persuaded.

He stood back up and removed his pouch and emptied the contents on the floor. He sighed again as he looked at the meager contents that were left. The excitement over the last few weeks had made him negligent, leading to a small supply of food and other necessities. He sorted through what was left and reorganized it. He was in the process of replacing it all when he came across the package Urbosa had placed in there their last night in the Domain. He shrugged and was about to place it back in when he saw a letter tied to it.

A letter addressed to him.

He removed it and held it before him, unsure of what to do. Finally, after deciding that there was little point in speaking to Urbosa about the matter, he opened it.

_Link,_

_I hope that you will forgive me for overstepping my bounds, but you left me little choice, young man. You see, when you returned the armor to my daughter, I could see there was something wrong with you. Normally, when you make a decision, you make it wholeheartedly. There is little room, if any at all, for doubt that you intend to see that decision through. Such is your resolve._

_I didn't see that same resolve when you denied my dear Mipha. I know that you have seen and suffered much in your short life, more than most could handle. I also know that you have a habit of punishing yourself because you believe you are responsible for the fates of those you love. I do not wish you make this mistake anymore. If you do not wish to take my daughter's hand, so be it, but Link I want that choice to be one made with a resolute heart. I have no wish for you to regret this choice because you made a hasty decision in the heat of the moment, and so I will give you a little more time to truly make up your mind._

_I will warn you against misunderstanding. I do not mean to enable your indecisiveness indefinitely. I know that your current struggles draw your attention, so I will give you until one month after Ganon's defeat. At that time, I will have your answer. Your true answer._

_There is one last thing I wish to say to you. Whatever happens, I hope you know that you will always have a home among us._

_With warm regards,_

_Dorephan_

Link picked up the parcel. Even though it was still tightly wrapped, he knew what it held. He ripped through the paper and removed a chest piece made of black and blue scales. He felt his hands tighten around the Zora armor as he fought to keep his emotions in check.

"Under normal circumstances, I would warn you against going through a Lady's belongings… but these aren't normal circumstances, are they?"

Link froze as he heard Urbosa's nails tapping against the desk that sat in the corner. He flipped around, opening his mouth, only for the woman to hold up a finger.

"Listen," she said tersely before he could get a word out, "I'm still not feeling well and if the others find out I'm out of bed, I'm going to be in a worse mood, so let's not mince words."

Link narrowed his eyes as the Gerudo gazed at him with an unrecognizable glint in her eye.

"I'm not sure what you were thinking when you turned her down with no explanation," her voice overrode him as he tried to speak, "but I think now may be an excellent time for you to share."

Link opened his mouth but had nothing to say as she stared at him. She raised an eyebrow as he said nothing for a long time.

"Speak up!"

"I'm dangerous…"

"...?"

Link clamped his mouth shut as Urbosa's eyes dissected him. He hated the way her prying eyes tried to open him up. He just wanted to be left alone.

"It's nothing."

"Listen," Urbosa growled as she stood up and walked towards him slowly. "I don't have the patience for this. Now open your mouth and speak your blasted mind."

Link stood his ground and glared back at her. He knew, as her eyes continued to pierce him, that he had already lost their silent contest.

"I'm dangerous and a coward," he finally muttered. He said nothing more, waiting for her response.

"Why?"

He looked back at her impassively.

"You don't think you're getting off that easily, do you?"

"... I hid while my village was burned," Link replied tightly "I ran while other men bought me time."

"... You're an idiot."

Link's eyes widened. He opened his mouth to argue, but again she cut him off.

"Could a child protect a village? Could you have fought off an army of Guardians while protecting Zelda?"

"I don't deserve to be- " Link didn't even have the opportunity to finish as a fist slammed into his face.

* * *

"So, what happened?" Daruk asked tiredly as a tight-lipped Mipha healed the swollen bruise over Link's eye. She had already told Urbosa to lay down. Apparently, in Gerudo, that was the equivalent of telling her to sneak into her friend's room and punch him. Though she had tossed the thought aside quickly, she had seriously considered refraining from healing the two.

"Link and I were having a pleasant conversation."

"Urbosa, I know a right hook when I see one."

"He attacked my fist with his face," Urbosa replied straight-faced. Mipha bit back her desire to snap at the woman. She loved Urbosa dearly, but the woman didn't seem to understand that there were times when her humor was unwelcome.

"Wouldn't surprise me. He does seem to prefer the most unconventional and ineffective tactics." She scowled as Revali took another opportunity to jab at someone. She made eye contact with Link and quickly wiped the unpleasant look on her face. He still continued to stare at her with a familiar look. That was his way of letting her know he had something to say.

"Hey Feathers, I could use some help to my room."

"If you're well enough to punch him, then you are well enough to walk on your o- what are you doing?" he asked incredulously as the Gerudo grabbed onto a wing and began hauling him ungracefully from the foyer.

"Well," Urbosa growled, trying her best to sound pleasant, "I figured now was a good time to teach you how to be a gentleman."

"I'll have you know that I am a perfect gentleman!"

"Lesson one: a gentleman should be humble as well as willing to aid a lady in need."

"You don't count as a- "

"Don't you dare finish that sentence."

"I'm gonna make sure they don't kill each other," Daruk grumbled as the bickering echoed from the next room. The Goron followed after the other two, growling under his breath as he scratched at his beard.

Mipha, despite her best efforts, began fidgeting as she realized she was left alone with Link. She was upset with him, but the anxiety and awkwardness of being around him overrode her frustration. Her chest was tightening, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She had desperately hoped that they could stay friends, but the morning after he had rejected her proposal, things were… different. It was as though he were a complete stranger to her now. She tried to run back to the times they had shared when they were younger for comfort. It seemed that each memory was overshadowed by pain now.

It wasn't just the pain that made it difficult. Now, she felt lost. Link had become so integral to her life that she had always planned for him to be a part of her future.

It had never once occurred to her that he may not be, that he may have wanted something or someone other than her. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"I should go," she muttered quickly. Before she could even take a step, a hand reached out and took her wrist. She turned slowly to Link, who refused to return her gaze.

"I think… I think we should talk," he whispered, finally making eye contact with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here I am with... this thing that just kinda happened. Well, at least Urbosa's having a good time.


	14. The Battle for Naydra

"Can you fix it?" Impa asked quietly as she watched Purah pore over the Sheikah Slate.

"Of course I can. Who do you take me for, anyway?"

Impa refrained from answering. She knew a loaded question when it was posed. Purah would likely use whatever answer she gave as an excuse to pounce. Not that it was the worst thing that could happen, but there were more preferable methods.

"Whatever. I shouldn't have expected an answer from you anyway," she grumbled as she turned the slate over in her tiny hands. "How did you get this from Link?"

"I think you know the answer to that," Impa replied as she braced herself.

"Of course, you snuck into his room and took it without his permission. Has it ever occurred to you that people may have an expectation of privacy?"

"Well, if you had responded to my invitation so- "

"Don't pin this on me! You've been pulling these sorts of stunts ever since you became the leader! Do you think Link wants his possessions gone through by some brute? Don't you dare roll your eyes at me!" she snapped at Dorian as the guard let Purah's remark roll off his back.

"Purah…"

"Maybe Link wants to be informed about- "

"Purah!" Impa finally snapped. She had never been fond of shouting; however, sometimes it surprised Purah enough to let her get a word in edgewise. It served the woman's purpose as her younger sister froze in place with widened eyes and an open mouth. "Can we both admit that this has nothing to do with Link?"

"…fine." Purah turned away and continued tinkering with the slate. "The images are still there," she said coolly, "however, they seemed to be corrupted. I'll recover what I can."

"Thank you."

"I'm not doing this for you."

"…" Impa shook her head slowly. She sent Dorian a glance and made a small motion with her head. Her guard understood and silently left the room, leaving the two sisters alone. Both remained silent, waiting for the other to speak.

"… I'm sorry… for everything."

"Sure you are," Purah snorted, not even bothering to look up from the Slate.

"I should have told you about Paya… and Tila- " Impa did her best to refrain from choking on her daughter's name "- sooner."

"Do you have any idea what it's like," Purah replied quietly, finally looking up from her task, "to find out that you have a great niece that no one bothered to tell you about? Do you have any idea," she continued as her voice rose in volume, "what it's like to find out that your niece, the closest thing you had to a daughter, died years ago, and no one, not even your own blasted sister, took the time to let you know?"

"I do not."

"Of course not," Purah spat, "because I'm the one that happened to."

"And for that, I am truly sorry," Impa whispered. She hung her head low in shame as Purah glared at her. Nothing was said for a long while.

"Why?" Purah finally asked. "Why didn't you tell me about them?"

It was a question she had spent years trying to answer herself. Unfortunately, the conclusion she had reached was what she would have called childish.

"I think that, in my mind, by not telling you, I didn't have to admit to her death out loud. I could lie to myself and pretend it had all been just a nightmare."

Purah's glare morphed into confusion, then to disbelief, and finally settled on sympathy.

"I guess I always thought it was because you didn't consider it something I needed to know."

"Purah, she loved you, probably more than she loved me. You deserved to know, and I dishonored the both of you when I left you in the dark."

"Wow… that must have been hard for you to admit."

"You have no idea," Impa replied dryly. Purah, like her older sister, had never really to handle her emotions very well. Rather than learning to suppress them, she simply diffused the situation until she finally snapped. Her reversion to a child only seemed to make the habit worse. Impa was secretly pleased that they had returned to diffusing.

Both chuckled ruefully in spite of themselves.

"I'm sorry Purah."

"I am too. Just please promise me you won't do anything like that again."

"Very well."

Purah nodded and turned back to the Slate and frowned.

"Is something the matter?"

"I could only get a few of the images back. I also was able to restore some of Zelda's notes, but I doubt they will be useful."

"That is not for us to decide."

"Whatever you say," Purah replied with a shrug. She handed the Slate back to Impa and yawned as she continued, "I need some sleep."

"Before you go, I think now would be the ideal time to remind you of the dangers of running experiments on yourself."

"Impa please don't ruin this," Purah begged as she flipped around, "We haven't even really got around what happened with- "

"Now, while I applaud your success in managing to revert yourself back to younger years there is still the matter of- "

"Impaaa," Purah whined as the Elder continued her lecturing.

* * *

"So, we're just going to let her get away with sneaking into our rooms and taking our possessions."

"Need I remind you that it wasn't your room, Feathers."

"Just because she only took the Slate doesn't mean that she didn't go through all our things."

"Well, she seems to have made up for it, judging by the way you keep adjusting your scarf." Impa had given them each, with the exception of Link, a light blue scarf with white accents. Along with the white accents were little symbols that bore a resemblance to their respective Divine Beasts. Mipha felt that Ruta's likeness didn't do the Divine Beast justice.

Each of the Champions had chosen to wear their scarves differently. Revali used his for its intended purpose, wrapping it around his neck and allowing a large portion to trail behind him. Mipha imagined that it would make the Rito look rather dashing if the wind blew right. Unfortunately for Revali, there wasn't even a breeze.

Urbosa had replaced her pants with the light blue fabric, wearing it as a skirt. It suited the older woman well, somehow conveying her class as well as her… femininity. It was odd for the red-head to strike the Zora Champion as feminine, especially after her last… conversation with Link.

Daruk, like Mipha, had chosen to wear his as a sash. While most of the Champions fit into their decorations easily, leaving a little extra to trail along, Daruk's was drawn tight across his chest. The Zora was certain that had the fabric not been enchanted, it would have likely torn from being drawn too tight.

Link, instead of receiving a scarf, had received a tunic made from the same fabric. While the scarves fit the Champions well, Link's outfit didn't suit him at all in her opinion.

"That's enough, both of ya."

Mipha tuned the rest of the conversation out as she carefully stepped over a root. They had been told that the trail through the forest was well trodden. In truth, it looked as though it hadn't been walked in years. Only the faintest dirt path could be seen under the overgrown shrubbery that grew at the base of the many trees that made up the forest. Light, filtering through the leaves above her, filled her surroundings with a lively green hue. It was a strange balance of beauty and homely.

The Zora Champion was caught in the middle of the group, with Daruk, Revali, and Urbosa ahead of her. The trio, as usual, was loudly bantering, occasionally scaring the wildlife around them with their arguing. Behind her, Link and Fi were having a quiet discussion, which wasn't terribly strange. The thing that was most peculiar was Midna. The wolf had forgone her typical place at Link's side and had instead chosen to travel at Mipha's side.

The Zora Champion was grateful for the entertaining distraction that Midna had become. Every time a small creature jumped out of hiding, the wolf would tense up, clearly fighting the urge to chase whatever scurried away. It helped keep her mind off of the uncomfortable conversation she and Link had the night before.

Her childhood friend had finally explained himself to her. The guilt he shouldered for the deaths in his past, his uncertainty of the future. His fear of losing her as well. In spite of the long, at times agonizing, conversation in which Link shared more than usual, Mipha was still certain that he hadn't told her everything.

In the years she had known him, she had learned to tell when he was trying to hide something from her. It had started when they were younger. Link would hurt himself doing something reckless and, true to his nature, wouldn't say anything about it, fearing that he would burden her. There was just one problem.

Link was a terrible liar.

His eyes would look at everything but her, or his feet would shift around oddly. One time, when she had cornered him and was especially put off, his voice had risen several octaves. It was after that particular incident that he had finally stopped trying to lie to her.

She could tell there was something he wasn't telling her. Something important.

She was shaken out of her thoughts as Midna jolted beside her. The dark blue hunter was staring longingly at a rabbit as it bounded away from them. Mipha giggled lightly as the wolf seemed to sigh as prey escaped her yet again.

"Poor dear. I'll talk to Link and see if he will take you hunting," Mipha murmured quietly.

Midna's gaze flicked towards her temporarily before returning to the road.

"Such a capacity for empathy even while carrying so much hurt." Fi had somehow worked her way next to Mipha without the Zora noticing.

"I apologize, Madam Fi. I didn't see you there."

"Just Fi will do."

"I see… forgive me Fi."

"There is no need for that. Tell me, why are you troubled?"

"It's nothing important," Mipha replied quietly.

"You are a poor liar," Fi chuckled quietly. The woman said nothing more, yet Mipha knew she was still expecting an answer.

"A friend and I are… going through a rough patch."

"Hmm," Fi hummed quietly. "Yes, rough patches can be quite difficult, but they are good."

"They are?" Mipha tried to hide the hope that started to fill her. She feared that despite Fi's kind nature, the woman may harbor ulterior motives. Any knowledge of even the tiniest hold on Mipha could be used against her.

"Indeed. While good times are nice and inspire good feelings, the hard times are when you begin to truly grow." Fi turned her gaze to Mipha slowly and tilted her head slightly. "Do you truly care for Link?"

Mipha's mouth opened and worked, but nothing came out.

"Yes, I know about what happened between the two of you."

"Link told you?"

"No."

"Then how…?"

"I, like Lady Impa, have my… methods," Fi replied with a slightly mischievous smile. "So, do you care for him?"

"...Yes," Mipha replied quietly.

"Then, if you two really mean as much to each other as you both claim, you will work it out."

Mipha nodded at first until she started blinking rapidly. Fi's exact words had just sunken in and now she was trying to puzzle out exactly what she meant. She turned to ask the woman, but before she could even get the first word out, Fi began speaking again.

"Well, it seems that you may need time to think. I shall leave you to your thoughts." Without another word, the hooded woman gracefully sped up towards the front of the group. Mipha considered trying to question the woman further, but intuition told her that she would get no more answers. And so, the Zora Princess remained alone with her thoughts.

* * *

Revali was caught somewhere between anger and anxiety. Fi had somehow managed to draw him away from Urbosa and Daruk for a conversation. During that time, the infuriating stranger had spoken as though she understood him. She had pulled everything that he had refused to confide in anyone else.

He hated how she had patronized him when she told him that it was okay for him to want to be loved. He didn't care about being loved

' _Yes you do,'_ a voice whispered quietly from the back of his mind. Revali silenced the voice as he clenched his beak so hard it hurt.

What an infuriating woman, acting as though she had any who he is.

He perked up as he saw a small group of Hylians ahead where the path fed into the remains of a paved road. Like all of the roads they had encountered before, only the small, broken sections of the walkways remained like patches in a quilt. Beside the broken road, a river ran swiftly, filling the surroundings with a quiet roar.

The six Hylians, who were clustered together at the path's mouth, were speaking to each other animatedly. The Rito Champion frowned thoughtfully at them. He knew that Hylians had a habit of being far more theatrical than necessary, but even by their standards, their gestures were highly exaggerated. The muscles in the six faces pulled awkwardly as though they were unused to making the large grins, frowns, and other similar expressions.

Urbosa caught his attention as the Gerudo Champion stared at the group. The woman's attitude was no different than normal, with her typical carefree attitude as she continued gliding across the uneven path. He would have been ready to write her off as he normally would, except for the fact that her hand was trailing to her sword, caressing the hilt. Though he didn't care for her, he knew better than to shrug off her intuition. The Rito rolled his shoulders, trying to loosen the tension in his upper body.

"Hey!" Daruk called amicably. All at once the group stopped and looked at them. After a brief moment, hey started waving excitedly as the Champions continued to approach. Revali fought the urge to draw his bow and start firing arrows at them. Their gestures were far too exaggerated and their smiles were far too wide. The worst part, in his opinion, were the eyes. They were devoid of the usual spark that most eyes held, almost like they were dead inside.

"Hello!" cried the one that Revali presumed was the leader. He glanced over his shoulder at Link and Mipha to find them both staring at the group ahead. Between them, Midna stalked with her hackles raised and lips pulled back in a silent growl. He rolled his eyes as he looked back at the Hylians. At least the animal was smart. "What brings a group of warriors such as yourself to these parts?"

"We could ask you the same," Urbosa replied smoothly. If he hadn't been watching her before, he wouldn't have known of her own suspicions.

"We're on our way to the Spring of Wisdom."

"It is a lovely place, though it is not for everyone," Fi replied quietly.

"Why's that?" one them asked. Revali's beak tightened as he saw something akin to disgust flash across the man's face.

"You know precisely what I mean." Fi's usual smile was gone, replaced an inscrutable look verging on a frown.

"Do we?" asked a woman near the back. Revali no longer had reservations about whether or not his hands found their way to his bow as forced grins eased into cruel smiles.

His eyes met Urbosa's. Her green eyes flicked to one of Hylians at the rear of the group, where he caught the edges of a bow peeking out of the garb. He looked back at her and gave the barest nod.

"Tell me," Fi replied with a tinge of sadness in her voice, "have you found joy in serving your master?"

They laughed disparagingly at her.

"We were planning on having some fun with you," the foremost Hylian growled as his hand slipped into his tunic, removing a gleaming weapon with a circular blade, "but I think- " He never got to finish as a massive rocky fist wrapped around him.

"I think I've heard enough," Daruk growled. He effortlessly picked the man up and threw him at his comrades. The other five would be assassins jumped clear as each was enveloped in a red cloud of smoke. The clouds disappeared, revealing identical red tunics and black leggings. Each face was now hidden behind a mask bearing a symbol nearly identical to the Sheikah. It was, in fact, the same symbol, only inverted. Instead of the three triangles forming the eyebrows on top, the teardrop sat on top.

Urbosa's buckler intercepted the circular blade that had been intended for Revali, holding the assassin in place for a moment. The second was all the Rito needed to aim an arrow between Urbosa's neck and her shield. He let it fly and find its new home in the archer that the Gerudo Champion had pointed out. The assailant fell to the ground, clutching his shoulder where the projectile was lodged.

In front of him, Urbosa slashed at the red-clad attacker. He leaped back from her, winding his arm back in preparation to throw his weapon. Maniacal laughter started but was cut short rather quickly as the woman dashed forward and smashed her buckler into him. Though she was nowhere near as strong as Daruk, Revali still winced at the crack and the following thud as another assassin collapsed.

Revali readied another arrow as he spun to find Daruk trying to grab ahold of the same man from before. His massive hand shot out, only for his opponent to jump over his outstretched hand. Landing on Daruk's wrist, he quickly jumped back into the air, twisting into a backflip as he did so. Revali let his arrow fly, catching the man in the thigh. Unfortunately, the assassin had let his own arrow, with a burning fuse, fly at Daruk. A massive explosion flattened the Goron, knocking him out cold.

The man landed awkwardly, attempting to straighten himself. His efforts were meaningless as another of Revali's arrows tore into him, knocking him back down.

Revali jerked around as he heard a small shriek from behind him. Link was standing between Mipha and the last two assassins. The Zora Princess knelt on the ground, clutching a wound on her arm. Revali raised his bow, but a hand on his shoulder on stopped him. There was a sharp snap, and the world exploded with a blinding light.

The Rito covered his eyes with his feathered hand, waiting for the lights to quit dancing across his vision to clear away. When he finally looked up, he saw the assassins that were still conscious stumbling away, carrying their unconscious comrades between them. Urbosa, on the other hand, was standing above Link and Mipha as the Hylian wrapped a bandage around her thin arm.

Revali raised his bow one last time, only for a small hand to stop him.

"Don't," Fi murmured. "Remember that all life is sacred, even ones as misguided as theirs"

"But they'll just come back," he growled angrily.

"Perhaps, but I know that you will rise to the occasion."

"You sure have a lot of assumptions for someone who doesn't know me at all."

"My dear Rito, just because you have never met me does not mean that I do not know you."

"And how's that?" Revali asked snidely. He was quickly growing tired of her constant comments that danced around him, only hinting at what he wanted to know. All he wanted was a straight answer.

"I was there when your mother laid your egg. I was there when you hatched just a few, short weeks later. I was there the first time you picked up a bow. I have been there for every single moment… how could I not know you?"

"And here I- "

"- thought that Urbosa was the only one who could tell such a poor joke," Fi finished quietly. She stared at him expectantly, waiting for some response from him. Revali just gaped at her, unable to believe that she could have finished his sentence. For the first time since he had met her, he began to feel nervous. The idea that she truly did know him awoke a fear deep inside him. All he wanted to do was run.

"How… how could you have been there?"

"I don't think you would believe me if I told you." He didn't challenge her statement and she made no efforts to explain herself.

Revali, deciding he was done trying to understand Fi, made his way over to Daruk. His eyes widened as he saw the massive cracks that spiderwebbed their way across the Goron's chest.

"Mipha," he called, prompting the Zora Princess to join him. "Can you heal him?"

Mipha knelt down next to Goron and placed a red scaled hand on Daruk's chest. The familiar blue light that accompanied her healing shone, but when she removed her hand, the cracks remained, staring mockingly at them.

"Your powers allow for you to heal many, but sadly, Daruk is not one of them," Fi murmured quietly from behind them. Mipha sat back as Fi continued, "there is one way to help him, though you will require Link's help."

* * *

Urbosa rolled her eyes as she watched Link try not to lose his composure while helping Mipha. Fi had suggested that the two use Mipha's knowledge of elixir crafting and Link's knowledge of cooking to create a potion that Daruk would be able to consume. Normally, Link could live with the bugs that Mipha had to throw into the pot for her elixirs, but mud seemed to have crossed a line for him. She had no doubt that the Hylian would spend hours scrubbing the offending sludge from his beloved cooking pot later.

She watched the interactions between the Link and Mipha carefully. Though punching Link had resulted favorably in that he had finally said what needed to be said, there was still a distance between the two. They had been confused as to who was gathering what, there had been a quiet argument as to the order in which to add ingredients, Mipha had even tripped over the Hylian at one point.

Though they were on speaking terms again, the two were still far out of sync.

The Gerudo Champion let out a sigh as she watched the two continue to try and work together.

"You and Daruk have your work cut out for you, don't you?" Fi asked as she sat down next to her.

"Hmm?" Urbosa was far too busy reflecting on her role to pay much attention to her companion.

"Being the one to hold everyone together is never easy. It takes a special kind of commitment to be the anchor, especially when everyone is drifting apart."

"It does," Urbosa replied evenly. Though Link and Mipha were her focus, something else began crying out for her attention.

"Yes," Fi continued quietly almost as though she were speaking to herself. "It is especially difficult when you allow your own distaste for another to- where are you going?" Urbosa hadn't noticed, until Fi voiced her question, that she had gotten to her feet.

"I need to speak to someone." The Gerudo Champion looked around the shoddily made camp. Daruk was still out cold, forcing the group to form a small campsite around him. Link and Mipha sat close by the Goron, Fi was joining them, which left Revali the only one unaccounted for.

That was probably for the best. She couldn't imagine him wanting to have a conversation with the others close by.

Knowing the Rito as she did, he would likely be somewhere high up. Luckily, there were plenty of cliffs nearby where she would at least have a decent vantage point of the surrounding area. She approached the one on the opposite side of the road from the others and began hauling herself up. It was a short climb, barely taxing her at all, but it did give her some time to think about what she wanted to say. As it turned out, it was good she had the time as Revali was standing at the top.

The Rito wasn't looking down at the other Champions, choosing instead to turn his restless gaze to the surrounding areas.

"Figured I'd find you up here," Urbosa greeted as she joined him.

"What?" Revali's wings folded absently as he continued analyzing the land before him.

"Just checking on you."

"Oh really?" Revali snorted as he finally turned to face her. "And since when has my well being been your concern."

"Mipha tells me that you took care of me while I was sick. Thank you." She didn't think a display of gratitude would make him any less defensive.

"Hmph." Though he turned away, she could still see his eyes on her.

"Let me ask you something: do you really think we don't want you here?"

"What?"Revali snapped as he flipped back around towards her.

"Well," Urbosa replied thoughtfully as she began twirling a lock of her scarlet hair around her finger, "you act like none of us want you here, or that we think you're useless. Do you think that's true?"

"It doesn't matter," he grumbled.

"Oh really? Because I would have had no problem dropping you off at Kakariko if you were useless."

"So you keep me around just because I can carry my weight? How heartwarming."

"You know," Urbosa murmured quietly as she began inspecting her nails, "you have a softer side to you. Maybe you should let it show every once in a while."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because you're one of us, and constantly having your guard up makes us think you don't trust us."

"And if I don't?" Revali shot back.

"Then you know that eventually, we'll part ways."

Revali said nothing, but she noticed his arms tighten as they remained crossed.

"Is that what you want?" he finally asked.

"You know Revali… if you weren't so defensive all the time, you might actually be decent company."

"Yeah ri-" he stopped, finally seeming to process what she had called him. "You… you just…"

"Used your name?" she finished dryly. "Yes, I know your name. Feathers is an… affectionate nickname."

"Affectionate my tail feathers."

"Believe it or not. It doesn't really make a difference to me."

The two stood silently, looking towards Mount Lanayru as both waited for the other to say something.

"So… is that all you came here for?" Revali finally asked.

"Well I certainly didn't come to flirt," she replied as she turned away. "Oh, by the way, Feathers," she began coyly, "I'm glad you think I'm pretty." Urbosa snickered as Revali tried, and miserably failed, to sputter out a coherent response. Deciding that the one little jab was enough, the Gerudo Champion began the short climb back down to the camp to rejoin the others.

Urbosa had been expecting to find the other four exactly as she had left them. She found Mipha, alone with her thoughts, sitting by Daruk. She sent a quick glance around the camp, but there was no one else around. Urbosa sat down next to her and glanced down at her quickly. The first thing she noticed was the bandage that Link had tied on her arm was gone.

"So, you healed your arm."

"Hmm? Oh yes…" Mipha replied absently as her left hand traced where the cut had been. "I tried to tell him that I didn't need it, but he wrapped it anyway."

"I wonder why…" Urbosa murmured with a small grin.

"..." Mipha began blinking rapidly as her face began reddening. "...uh…" Urbosa had to fight to keep a straight face as Mipha became increasing flustered. "When we were younger… I may have suggested that… that I am unable to heal myself," Mipha finished meekly.

"Mipha," Urbosa managed out over the painful spasming in her chest, "you sly thing, you."

"I tried to tell him, but he wouldn't listen!"

"I may have to start taking notes from you." Urbosa's mirth died down as Mipha pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I was watching you two earlier. You really have fallen out, haven't you?"

"Yes… but I think it will be okay."

"Oh?"

"Fi was telling me earlier about how times like these are good. I was not sure if I believed it at first, but," Mipha sighed quietly, "I suppose this will teach us how to really work together. To realize that we are on the same team even during the worst of times. That makes it easier, even if it doesn't mean that it will be the way I want."

"Hmm…" Urbosa hummed as she took in the little Zora.

"What?"

"You've grown up a bit."

"Huh?"

"Do you remember when we first woke up?"

"Yes."

"At that point, you would have been devastated. Instead, you are looking at this with a little bit more maturity."

"Thank you, but I still have a lot of growing left to do…"

"Well don't grow too fast," Urbosa chuckled, "you'll look less endearing."

"Like you then?" Mipha returned the older woman's smile with her own, slightly mischievous smile.

"Lady Mipha," Urbosa gasped mockingly, "I never expected such uncouth behavior from a Princess. Muzu would be ashamed." Despite her playful response, Urbosa was surprised at the unusual barb from the Zora Princess.

"I'm sorry… I am feeling a- "

"For heaven's sake! Don't apologize to the likes of her," Revali interrupted as he landed across from the two. "You need to learn to be more assertive."

"Rule number two of being a gentleman: do not interrupt."

"Are we still on this?"

"What made you think we were done?"

"How could an old hag possibly have anything to teach me?"

"Now, now master Revali, that was quite rude," Mipha clucked disapprovingly. "Rule number three: a gentleman must respect his elders."

"Not you too!" Revali snapped.

"Did you just call me an elder?" Urbosa asked, a dangerous note creeping into her voice.

Both stopped as Mipha began laughing, attempting to hide her chuckles behind a hand. Both Rito and Gerudo exchanged a glance, for once agreeing on how to respond. They would let her have this one. It had been far too long since she had worn such a large smile and it would be a shame to dampen it now.

"While we're on the subject, here are a few other pointers we should address… " Urbosa did her best to hide her smirk as the Rito began knocking his head into a tree slowly. Just because they would let Mipha win didn't mean they had to tie for second place.

* * *

They had risen early to continue on the road to Mount Lanayru. Daruk appeared to be in high spirits despite the fact that he had not yet fully healed, but Link couldn't blame him. Everyone, for the first time since they had left Zora's Domain, was actually smiling. It was hard not to succumb to the infectious glow, and the Hylian couldn't find a reason not to.

His mood brightened further as he saw the ruins strewn not only along the base of the road but suspended above them on the cliff walls. There were even some of across the river that ran alongside the road they traveled on. He couldn't help but wonder how such feats of construction could be completed as some of the rooms hung above the roaring currents of the river.

"Who cares how it was built," Revali sighed. "Sometimes I think your head is stuck permanently in the clouds." Link frowned at the response to his voiced awe. In his excitement, he had forgotten that he was walking beside Revali, who often showed utter disinterest in the past. Clearly, the potential adventure hadn't crossed the Rito's mind. Traps, monsters, imminent collapse, and possibly even treasure called to him alluringly as would a Siren's song. It was endlessly frustrating that Revali didn't share the excitement.

At least he could take solace in the fact that Mipha reflected his own enthusiasm though, knowing her, it was likely the knowledge that enticed her. Even so, he was glad that someone was as interested as he. He knew she was still unhappy with him, but maybe after things had smoothed over some more, they could explore the ruins together.

Link stared up at Mount Lanayru as they reached the East gate of Lanayru road. Through the gate, the climate instantly changed from a moderately warm sunny day to near blizzard-like conditions. Traveling up the mountain was looking to be a far more taxing and dangerous journey than he had originally thought, but that wasn't his main concern at the moment.

The visage before him brought something to the surface of his mind, but frustratingly enough, it was just out of reach. No matter how he strained to bring it to the forefront, the tidbit evaded him. Finally giving into frustration, the Hylian pulled out the Sheikah Slate and flipped through the images stored in the device. Eventually, he found it.

At some point in the past, Zelda, the original owner of the Slate, had created an image of this place.

"What is it, Little Guy?"

Link motioned for the Goron to join him, showing the Goron the image that he had been staring at.

"What's this?" Daruk asked as he scratched his head.

"An image Zelda created…"

"So, we were here before… hey guys! Come check this out!"

_Everyone gathered around Link as he held up the Slate. As he continued to look at the two sights of Mount Lanayru, all sounds died around him as he was again sent drifting into the past._

* * *

_Link_ _followed patiently behind the slow-moving Princess of Hyrule. Though neither was dressed for the conditions they found themselves in, both were comfortable. Mipha's elixirs had made sure that no matter how cold their environment was, they would be able to journey through without worry of the cold. As such, he knew it was neither the snow nor the cold that dulled the Princess' usually brisk pace._

No, it was the results of their journey to the Spring of Wisdom. The blonde headed Princess had spent hours kneeling in the sacred spring, only for her prayers to once again go unanswered. Even though she normally tried to remain optimistic, this last failure had all but extinguished the last bit of optimism in her.

It saddened him to see such a close friend try so hard only to once again be confronted by Hylia's apathy. She had spent years praying and meditating, visited each of the three sacred springs in Hyrule, and pushed herself far harder than anyone he had ever met, including himself. Yet through it all, Hylia remained silent, never deigning to help the desperate Princess unlock her holy powers.

He yearned to do what he could do to comfort her, but he could barely reassure himself anymore. It wasn't that he lacked faith in Zelda. He was certain when the time came, she would be able to use her sealing magic. No, it was his faith in himself that was shaken. Despite his own training with the Master Sword, the blade, rumored to have a voice of its own, remained just as silent as Hylia.

After he had drawn the Blade of Evil's Bane, he had felt that something was off. The sword seemed to accept and reject him at the same time. Trained as he might, the sword remained aloof, as though punishing him for his own shortcomings. It was enough to shake his already crumbling confidence.

He felt the warmth first as he crossed the gate. Even though the cold hadn't bothered him in the slightest, the warmth was still welcome. He looked up to see the four pilots waiting for them.

"Well? Don't keep us in suspense. How'd everything go up there on the mountain?" Link wished for once that Daruk was a little more perceptive. He knew that Zelda would have to discuss the results, or lack thereof, soon enough.

Though he couldn't see her face from his place behind her, he knew that the Princess was on the verge of tears as she shook her already hanging head. Even though he had spent years learning to keep his face straight no matter the emotional strain he felt, he couldn't keep sadness from pulling at his face. Link tried to refrain from frowning at Daruk as worry wrote itself across every section of his face.

"So, you didn't feel anything? No power at all?" Revali asked quietly.

"I'm sorry, no." Revali's gaze fell to the ground. The part of Link that was used to dispassionately observing noted how the Rito's typical caustic behavior was gone. He had always been gentler with the Princess. It was one of the few things Link appreciated about his fellow Champion.

"Then let's move on," Urbosa said gently. "You've done all you could. Feeling sorry for yourself won't help anything. After all, it's not like your last shot was up there." Even though Urbosa's words often comforted Zelda, even she was unable to ease the girl's woes.

Daruk nodded desperately as though trying to convince himself that all would be well.

"That's kind of you… thank you."

Link's gaze was drawn to Mipha as her eyes flicked back and forth between him and Zelda. The Zora Princess' hands came together as they usually did when she was nervous.

"If I may… I thought you… well, I'm not entirely sure how to put this into words… I'm actually quite embarrassed to say it, but I was thinking about what I do when I am healing. You know, what usually goes through my mind." Mipha took another deep breath as her eyes quickly flicked to Link once again before moving back to Zelda. "It helps when I think - when I think about -"

Before the Zora Princess could finish, the ground shook violently, nearly throwing everyone to the ground. Revali threw himself into the air as everyone regrouped. The Rito hung suspended for a moment, gaping at whatever it was he saw. Link's veins froze over as he realized what Revali was seeing. He didn't need Daruk and Revali's assurances that the time they had all been dreading had finally arrived.

"Let's get you somewhere safe, my little bird," Urbosa murmured quietly to Zelda as Daruk called out instructions.

"No!" Zelda replied quickly, cutting off the Goron Champion. "I may not be of much use during the fighting, but if there is anything I can do to help then I will! My place is with all of you."

_Link's spirits lifted as Zelda's fiery resolve resurface. Even though her sacred powers still lay dormant, the Hylian Princess still clung to what little hope was left. He found the strength of her conviction inspiring as he took his place as the vanguard. Though their odds looked grim, he couldn't help but believe that they would find a way._

_The Hylian knight sent a quick prayer to Hylia, asking that for once, the silent Goddess intervene on their behalf._

* * *

Not a word was spoken as Link passed a cloak to Urbosa, Mipha, and Revali, who scoffed his off. All were too busy reflecting on their recollections to say anything. Even Daruk's commanding tone lacked its normal gusto, fitting the low morale of the group. Nobody moved forward.

"I hate to push you all, for I know that what you just saw was painful, but we must be going. We do not have much time."

"What are you talking about?" Revali sighed bitterly. Even he couldn't muster up the energy to sound annoyed.

"I cannot answer now, but- "

"And why not?" Link asked wouldn't normally speak that way to anyone, but he was losing his patience with the woman, who seemed content to wrap herself in layers of enigma and talking circles around them all.

"Link, you are one of my dearest friends, so believe me when I tell you that you must accompany me to the top of the mountain."

"For the love of Hylia woman, you- "

"That is precisely why you should follow me," Fi interrupted the Rito. The woman said nothing more as she crossed through the gate, followed by Midna. The wolf stopped at the foot of the gate and stared at Link over her shoulder. She quickly motioned after Fi with her head and crossed through the gate.

Link frowned, torn between his desire to leave and his duty towards Fi. He had promised to see the woman safely to the top of the mountain. Though he had no reason to trust her, he decided that he would keep his words as he followed the woman and the wolf through the gate.

He grit his teeth, cutting off the gasp that tried to force its way out of his throat as every muscle in his body convulsed, protesting the sudden cold. He heard a feminine gasp from behind him as he turned to find Urbosa, Daruk, and Mipha behind him.

"- and I don't understand why we're choosing to trust her. It's a wing shredding mistake if you ask me," Revali grumbled as he brought up the rear.

"Feathers, nobody is forcing you to come."

"I know," Revali sighed dramatically, "but I suppose it's too late to back out now."

"Then stop complaining."

"Fine."

They trudged their way through the snowy fields, being bludgeoned by angry snowflakes driven by the wind. Link tried to keep sense of his surroundings but quickly gave up. Between the howling wind and relentless snow, there was little, if anything, he could detect. He just had to have faith that they could respond in time.

As they continued forward, Link became distracted by the sound of shaky breathing somewhere behind him. He looked over his shoulder to find Mipha clutching her cloak close to her as she shivered violently beneath the thick fabric.

Link frowned thoughtfully as he remembered what little of Zora anatomy he knew. The Zora, while preferring cooler climates, were still more cold-blooded than Hylians. It was dangerous for her to be in this weather for an extended period because she couldn't produce the body heat required to keep herself alive. If they weren't fast, she would freeze to death long before the rest of them.

He slowed his pace, letting his unobservant companion pass him. He quickly removed his own cloak and placed it gently on her shoulders. The Zora Champion spun around quickly, taking a moment to figure out what had happened.

"Link… you can't- "

He cut her off with a quick shake of his head.

"Y-you will f-freeze if you don't cover up."

"Then we should get moving," He replied quietly. Mipha frowned at him but began moving more quickly. Ahead of them, the path began to incline sharply as it curved out of sight. He was glad to finally be ascending.

In an effort to keep his muscles from seizing, Link rolled his shoulders, swung his arms, anything that forced his quickly numbing muscles to remain somewhat responsive. It did little to ease him, but he took solace in knowing that if it came to it, he could move quickly.

They struggled through the white haze, feeling as though they were making no progress. Even so, Link struggled onward, shivering violently all the way. That was until he felt a cloak flung over his shoulders haphazardly.

"While I find your chivalry inspiring, I don't think killing yourself will help anything," Urbosa murmured in his ear. He looked over his shoulder to find the woman straightening herself and rolling her shoulders. "Ah, this is quite… refreshing."

Link frowned at her and began shrugging out of the cloak. He froze as Urbosa face jutted into his.

"You take that off and this time Daruk will be the one knocking some sense into you," she growled.

"She's right, Little Guy," Daruk called from somewhere behind.

"No offense Daruk, but I don't think even you could knock it into him."

"Well Feathers, maybe he should get some practice on you."

Link tried to hide it as he drew the cloak around him, grateful for the warmth it provided. the Hylian, feeling reinvigorated, looked up ahead of him to find Fi just a few short steps away.

"We're almost there," she called as they rounded another bend. The storm calmed suddenly as they rounded one last bend and stopped dead in their tracks, too shocked to continue. Ahead of them, the path continued straight to small spring with a statue of the Goddess in the center. Above the statue, wrapped around the summit like a scarf, was a giant, blue dragon.

Naydra was much as Link remembered her. An iridescent, blue, snake-like dragon that dwarfed them all. Link shot a quick glance at Mipha, who returned it. He was sure the same thought was crossing her mind. Though he had always spoken of seeing the guardian spirit, there had always been a part of him that had never believed that he would come face to face with her.

His awe turned to concern as he noticed the lethargy that dragged the majestic spirit down. Then his eyes widened as they trailed along the dragon's body. All along Naydra's body were ugly splotches identical to the ones that had hidden themselves away in Vah Ruta, only magnified tenfold. All of the eyes opened at once as Fi approached Naydra, pulling back her hood as she did so. Despite the wind that still blew across the mountaintop, her long blonde hair refused to be budged by it.

"It pains me to see you like this, my old friend," Fi murmured.

Naydra groaned as she lowered her head down next to Fi. The woman placed her forehead on the dragon's snout.

"Don't worry, I brought friends to help you. I only ask that you give them your blessing in return." Fi pulled back and turned back towards Link and the others. The Hylian Champion nearly stumbled back as he finally saw Fi's face. Aside from the ageless quality, Fi's visage bore an uncanny resemblance to Zelda's.

"Zelda… is that you, my little bird?" Link was glad that he wasn't the only one that was unsure as to whether or not the woman before them was Zelda.

"No, I am not Zelda, nor am I Fi," she replied quietly.

"Then who are you?" Revali asked aggressively.

"I've been called many names: The Goddess of Time, Naga, Zelda, Palutena, but you would know me as Hylia."

"The Goddess?!"

"But how… why…?"

"How coul-"

"I understand that you all have questions, but there isn't the time."

"Those eyes," Link said softly as he gazed up at Naydra. "They're just like the ones in Ruta."

"Indeed. They are made of malice, a bit of Ganon's physical manifestation. When malice infects a host, it allows Ganon to worm his way into the mind, eventually ceding all control to him."

"So, we need to kill the eyes?" Daruk asked skeptically. "That sounds like something I can handle."

"And how do you plan to do anything from here?"

Before Daruk could answer Revali's question, a shriek shook the mountaintop, causing them all to stumble around as Naydra pushed off. Rather than ascending further, the dragon began circling the summit, forcing the air around them to swirl violently.

"Quickly! You must cleanse Naydra before she is lost to us!"

Revali, after one last irritated glance around at them, took off. The Rito struggled against the massive air currents. Link knew that Revali couldn't do it alone. He didn't wait for any further prodding as he dashed towards the nearest cliff.

"Hold up, Little Guy! I know you want to help, but if you jump off now, you'll just get tossed around like a sack of pebbles."

Link frowned at the Goron, who grinned back as he flexed an arm.

"Fortunately for you, I've got an idea!"

* * *

"Daruk, I really don't like this idea," Mipha called out over the whirlwinds that plagued the summit.

"Have some faith in the Little Guy!" Daruk replied. It was hard to shout when he was curled up in a ball, but he figured it was worth the effort. He frowned to himself as he tried to feel whether or not his little companion was ready. "Link! Let me know when you're ready!"

"Go!" Link cried from on top of his back. The Goron sprang open with as much force as he could muster. He hoped that he had flung the Little Guy upwards and not outwards. Judging by the way Urbosa and Mipha were craning back, he must have succeeded.

He looked up and grinned as the Hylian Champion floated high above them. Link quickly collapsed his paraglider, pulled out his bow, fired, then clumsily pulled his paraglider back out.

"He missed," Urbosa stated.

Daruk looked back up with concern. Link would have to take more time to aim his bow, but that could put him in more danger as he would fall faster.

"The wind is too erratic. Even Revali is missing most of his shots," Urbosa growled. Daruk sympathized with her frustration. It sucked to sit and watch Link and Revali struggle to free Naydra of Ganon's corruption.

"Can't you use your lightning?"

"It's too risky."

"How close are Revali's shots?" Mipha asked quickly.

"Close. Why?"

"Focus on the arrows. The electricity can jump from the arrow to the eyes on its own."

"I don't have enough energy for them all."

"You don't need to make it strong," Mipha replied quickly, "the eyes are weak. Just a small strike should work."

"Here goes nothing," Urbosa muttered. The Rito fired another arrow, which Urbosa's eyes trailed carefully. Without warning the woman snapped her fingers. A bolt of lightning flashed towards the arrow, where it jumped towards the nearest blemish on Naydra's scales.

"You did it!" Mipha cried excitedly.

Daruk grinned at the Zora's excitement.

"Hey!" Revali snapped as he landed sloppily next to them. "It's nice that you figured out that you can do that and all, but can't you handle the ones on the bottom."

"The bottom?" Daruk asked.

"Yes. The top is where the spines and the eyes are. The bottom is where- "

"Revali, I need you back up there!" Urbosa snapped.

"Just find a way to deal with them!" the Rito shouted as he launched himself skyward again.

Daruk scratched his head as he watched the Dragon circle them. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as arrows and lightning continued raining down. He didn't have the height or the reach to attack the spots of malice if Naydra flew directly above them, but if he and Mipha worked together.

"Oi! Naydra!" he bellowed out. "Can you fly above us?" Naydra roared in reply.

"Do you think she understood?" Mipha asked nervously as Naydra's head roped back around towards them.

"I think so," Daruk replied as the dragon charged towards them. "Get ready, Little Sister!"

"Daruk! What are you doing!?" Mipha squeaked as the Goron hefted her up.

"Gettin' you in range!"

Mipha looked down at him, taking a moment to understand. Her eyes widened quickly as she nodded and pulled her trident out.

"Get ready!"

Naydra pulled up sharply just before she rammed into them. Mipha's trident lashed out at the first eye she could reach, puncturing it quickly. It retracted, shriveling in on itself before exploding into a small cloud of black particles. The Zora Princess pulled back, spinning the trident around as another eye came within striking distance.

Daruk cringed with every jab of Mipha's trident. Every strike was accompanied by an unearthly scream that chilled him far more than the snow and wind had. He couldn't imagine a creature capable of making the kind of shrill sounds that eyes did, nor did he want to.

"That's all of them!"

"Great job," he congratulated as he set Mipha back down. His enthusiasm was short lived as he felt the winds change again. Naydra's flight pattern was changing again. Rather being the tight, controlled path around the mountaintop, now the dragon was flying erratically like she was in a tug-of-war for control. One moment she would try to alter her course away from the mountain, only for her head to snap back too far, nearly causing her to crash into the mountain.

"We need to speed this up," Daruk growled as he watched.

"There is only one left, but I don't think they can reach it!" Urbosa snapped back as she trailed the dragon's head with her eyes. Her fingers remained ready to call lightning at the first opportunity.

"Any sugges- "

"What is he doing?" Even Urbosa lost her focus as Mipha began panicking. Both Urbosa and Daruk redirected their attention to Link to find the Hylian falling towards Naydra. He pulled out his sword as he smacked painfully into the dragon near the nape of her neck. The Hylian began working his way steadily towards Naydra's head as the massive creature began shaking violently in an attempt to throw him off. Link, the stubborn young man that he was, clung to Naydra as he continued making progress.

The Hylian stopped once he reached the back of Naydra's massive head and wrapped a single arm around one of the spines. Link's sword cut through the air, striking at an eye on the far side of Naydra. She cried out suddenly, flinging her head from side to side, throwing Link off her back. The Hylian tumbled through the sky, rushing past them quickly. The three remaining champions ran to the cliff. Daruk peered over the edge and was almost smacked in the face by Revali as the Rito Champion soared upwards, followed closely by Link.

Revali, who had been gliding just above Naydra, must have dove down when Link fell and created an updraft for the Hylian to ride back up safely.

The two landed lightly and exchanged a glance. Link nodded to Revali, who folded his wings as he smirked back at the Hylian. Eventually, he nodded back, though his smirk never left.

"Nice job," Daruk muttered to the Rito as they regrouped near the Spring. Revali didn't respond, but Daruk was sure that the Rito's chest had puffed out slightly.

Naydra had once again wrapped herself around the summit and was watching the Champions below her with great interest.

" _Step forward."_ Daruk looked around him for the source. He hadn't noticed at first, but sometime during all the commotion, Hylia had disappeared, leaving only her voice behind.

As one, the group cautiously approached the statue dedicated to Hylia and presented themselves to Naydra. The dragon's head slowly drifted down and to inspect each of them. After she finished the dragon's head reared.

Daruk flinched as the dragon's face jutted towards them all, releasing a massive gust of air from its gaping maw. As Naydra's breath tore through him, Daruk felt a surge of energy course through him. He began laughing as the strength to crush mountains energized him.

When she had finished, Naydra pulled back and silently gazed at them.

" _Naydra's blessing has amplified your very being, returning some of your former strength to you,"_ Hylia's voice was no more than a whisper, yet Daruk heard her perfectly. _"With Ganon's corruption gone, she now possesses the power to protect these lands as she once did. The people here no longer need fear the power of the Blood Moon."_

"The Blood Moons are gone?" Daruk questioned.

" _No. Naydra can only counteract it, and only for the lands within her domain. The rest of Hyrule is still in danger. I would ask that you free the other two dragons, as you have Naydra."_

Daruk sighed as he agreed. Their job just kept getting more and more complicated.

Hylia said no more as Naydra's head lowered back down once again, though this time her attention was focused solely on Link. The Hylian, seeming to understand the dragon's intent, stepped forward. Dragon and Hylian stared at one another for a long time, neither one giving any indication as to what was happening.

"You really couldn't save them, could you?"

Naydra gave no response, merely staring back at Link.

"I guess you really can't save everyone, can you?" The Hylian was silent for a moment, considering something. Link suddenly reached out and placed a hand on Naydra's snout as a hardness in his face faded away. "I forgive you," he whispered.

Link lowered his hand as Naydra pulled back. She tilted her head in interest as she stared down at him. After considering the young man's words, Naydra nodded slowly at Link. Having concluded her business with the Hylian, the dragon pushed off the mountain, coiling gracefully through the air above them. She roared, piercing the heavens with her cry before leaving the mountaintop, and the Champions, far behind.

" _The road ahead will be long and arduous,"_ Hylia murmured quietly in his ear as they walked to the cliff, watching Naydra's dance. _"But you need not fear what lies ahead…_

_For I will always be with you."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you realize that there was a number of different ways I could have ended this chapter, and I went for the snoot boop. Yep. It's been nearly a month, and all you have to show for your patience is a giant snoot boop... I have no regrets.


	15. A Brief Respite

Link sat by himself, staring deep into the fire in front of him. After they had freed Naydra, Hylia had teleported them back down to the gate on East Lanayru road. Link had immediately made a small campfire and settled down in front of it. He had tuned everyone out, for once trying to focus on what he was feeling. He tried turning inward, but it was like he was adrift on endless waves above his emotions. No matter how he tried to pierce through, he just couldn't connect.

"Link… are you all right?" Mipha asked as she sat across the fire from him.

"…" He considered not answering. He didn't want to burden her with his troubles and uncertainties, but he remembered what Hylia had told him during their conversation. She had reminded him that no matter how difficult his interior life was, there were still those who needed him. And a part of providing for their needs was letting those close to him in. "… I don't know," he finally answered. "I thought I would feel better after what happened with Naydra, but…" He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He looked back down at the fire as he became lost in his thoughts again.

When he had first decided to visit Naydra as a child, he was determined to find an answer as to why she had done nothing to help his village. He had known deep down that the action was foolish, but the drive had kept him going those first months until he became overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. He could have, should have, done something to help. Instead, he had hidden away as everyone, except his best friend, had been slaughtered. Even though his memories were still fragmented, he knew that he had been carrying that guilt for years.

And then he had finally met Naydra.

Seeing the Guardian Spirit so helpless had brought something to the forefront of his mind that he had never considered. Even someone as powerful as Naydra was at times as helpless as he had been as a child. It was cathartic to know that there truly was nothing that he could have done, like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.

Even with the guilt largely gone, he still wasn't out of the woods yet.

"Did I ever tell you about my mother?"

"I remember that you mentioned her a few times, but you never said much."

"Before you came to the Domain, she was my only friend. When she died, I lost almost everything," she murmured shakily. "I shut myself away for far too long, wallowing in my own misery. When I finally accepted her death, I am not sure what I felt. It was like… it was like there was this invisible wall that separated one part of me from the rest. Is that how you feel?" she asked as her liquid amber eyes stared at him sadly.

Link nodded. "How did you get through it?"

"I am not sure, but it started when I met you."

"That… sucks," he sighed.

"What?"

"Well, I can't exactly meet myself," Link replied with a weak smile.

"No, I suppose not," Mipha giggled quietly. "I suppose there is always one thing that helped cheer you up."

Link raised a brow.

"I caught these earlier," Mipha answered as she held up some fish. "I remember how much you like to eat."

"Fish…" he muttered with a dissatisfied frown. He wasn't sure what had come over him, but he felt like teasing her if only a little.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't like fish."

"Link," she said slowly, "I remember a story Owen told me in which you ate a rock…a rock, Link."

"Yeah, but does it have to be fish?"

"Well, it's not that I don't like what you have been cooking for us, but I realized after we left the Domain that I really like salmon."

"Okay," Link sighed quietly as he took the bundle from her. "I'll cook these on one condition: you have to help me explore these ruins."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked as she glanced at the ruins all around them.

"Yep. I think as long as there are two of us, Daruk won't have a problem."

"That's not what I…" Mipha sighed as she began massaging her hands uncertainly. "Alright…"

"You don't have to if you don'- "

"No, it is all right. I was just a bit surprised is all."

Link frowned at her. He didn't want to force her into anything she didn't want to do. Still, though, he knew better than to argue when he saw the determination in her eyes. He groaned internally as he realized just how seriously she was taking this. He had meant it as a joke.

"Hey, you two," Daruk greeted as he ambled over. "I didn't mean to listen in, but I thought I heard something that I think I should know about."

Link did his best to psych himself up. It wasn't that he thought that Daruk would say no to them exploring, he just wanted to make sure that the Goron understood that he wouldn't be reckless. If Daruk got the idea that he was excited by the danger in exploration, he would likely send Urbosa with them. That didn't sit well with the Hylian at all.

"Little Guy, is it true you eat rocks?"

"…" Link blinked rapidly as he tried to process what Daruk was asking him.

"That's good!" Daruk had decided to take Link's silence as affirmation. "Nice to know someone else here eats actual food!" Link gulped as Daruk set a hand on his back. He really hoped that the Goron wouldn't try to convince him to eat a rock.

* * *

"Link, I understand you want to explore as much of the ruins as we can, but why are we starting with this portion?" Rather than sticking with the buildings on their side of the river, Link had chosen to swim across and climb up to the buildings that hung above the river.

"Because," Link replied as he continued hauling himself and Mipha up the cliffside, "these are the hardest to get to."

"Would it not be better to start with the buildings that we could get in more easily?"

She was surprised when Link stopped and sent her a puzzled look over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Doesn't it make sense that the more interesting stuff would be in the harder to reach areas?"

"I suppose…" In her mind, it would all be interesting. The past always hid little tidbits of information that she found endlessly fascinating. She could only speculate that Link was in search of more than just the small bits that could be gleaned. He was likely drawn to the adventure it would provide.

Link said nothing more as he continued the climb. She had been surprised when he had asked her to join him. The Hylian had been all but avoiding her since they had cleansed Vah Ruta, so to receive an invitation to explore with him had been the furthest thing from her mind. She still wasn't sure it was a great idea, and for more reasons than the danger that naturally accompanied delving into such places.

Their bond was something she could no longer figure out. There had been a time where they had understood each other. Now all she knew was that it was different then it used to be. Very often now, if they exchanged glances like they used to, they were no longer thinking the same thing. She couldn't help but wonder if their closeness had been a figment of her imagination.

She tightened her grip on the Hylian as he finally clambered over the edge. They both straightened, glancing around the promenade they stood on. The Zora Princess found it strange that the architects had chosen to build a walkway on the ground and one above the water, but she supposed it didn't really matter. These were the same people who had decided that they needed to construct structures capable of fitting entire towns within them. They weren't likely all that sensible.

"So where to first?"

"That way," Link replied as he pointed straight ahead of them. The promenade continued a short way before turning sharply to burrow into the cliffside.

"Incredible," Mipha breathed as they stepped along the cracked pathway. "I have never understood how the ancients created structures that lasted longer than anything we could build."

"Maybe because they built everything so large?" Link suggested.

"Perhaps…"

The duo paused at the entrance to the tunnel as Link removed a stray piece of wood from his satchel and, after wrapping it in cloth, used his flint and steel to light it. With a source of light to illuminate the depths of the tunnel, they continued onwards.

The stonework had fared better under the sheltering arms of the small mountain it lay within. There was far less damage from the elements, leaving the hallway largely intact. The lack of deterioration, while preserving the architecture, had a less than ideal side effect. Every surface was coated with a thick layer of grime. The Zora's wet feet slipped several times and, had Link not been quick to catch her, she would have fallen more than once.

Deep within the tunnel was a giant door that blocked further access. Situated next to the door was a terminal identical to the ones they had encountered previously. Link stepped up out of habit and inserted the Slate. After the Slate had been authenticated, then there was loud clanging as a giant mechanism activated to roll the door away.

"What was this place?" Mipha wondered as the hallway opened into a large, circular room. The room was lit by the soft, blue ethereal glow that seemed to accompany all Sheikah ruins. Long, dust-covered tables were spread throughout the center of the room and large bookcases lined the rounded walls. Mipha giggled as Link paused in the doorway. His face twisted in disgust.

"Musky," he grumbled. Mipha covered her smile as the Hylian began breathing through his mouth. Because Zora were more suited to water, her sense of smell was stronger in aqueous environments. Airborne stenches weren't a problem for her.

The Zora Champion began perusing the nearby books as she continued smiling. The spines were clearly marked with the subject matter that was contained within the books. She opened one that was marked "A Treatise on Zora Anatomy." A thin layer of dust assaulted her as the pages flipped open, causing her to cough as her throat was covered in the offending matter. She finally began reading as her short fit subsided.

' _While the Oceanic Zora have a hereditary defense against the saline content in the ocean, River Zora are incapable of handling said environments. The purer waters of the Lanayru region likely allow a dynamic equilibrium to be attained, allowing for the intake of necessary nutrients, expulsion of bodily waste, and prevention of dehydration._

_The separate and extreme differences in environment has led to two radically different evolutionary paths and high genetic variance within each branch. The most obvious differences in evolution lay in the outward appearance such as fin length, scale coloration, and even bone structure. Such a difference in phenotypic expression has led to research to determine whether or not the two groups are still capable of reproducing. Results are- "_

"Find something?" Link asked as he looked over her shoulder.

"Yes. It seems to be an analysis of the differences among freshwater Zora and ocean Zora."

"Huh, I didn't know there were Zora in the ocean."

"Yes. I never quite understood why our people could not survive in the ocean, and why they could not survive in our Domain. Well… it doesn't matter," she mumbled as she shut the book and set it back on the shelf.

"Don't you want to read that?"

"Yes, but it is not mine to take," she sighed softly. She turned away and continued walking along the bookshelves. She found the sheer amount of knowledge stored in the room staggering. Books ranging from Sheikah technology to the various races covered the shelves. Each topic was further broken down in order to emphasize a particular aspect of the subject.

She paused as she heard a faint click from somewhere behind her. She shrugged it off after a few seconds of silence, assuming that she had just imagined it. She continued her search as she heard the click again. Glancing over her shoulder, she found Link hovering over one of the tables with the Sheikah Slate held over something. She watched the Hylian interestedly until she noticed the stooped figure approaching him from behind.

"Link! Behind you!"

He whirled around, throwing a fist out as he did so. A decrepit, gray hand caught his fist easily. What little skin was left on the figure sagged much like the baggy clothes that he wore. Small wisps of silver hair were matted to his head and his eyes had sunk deep into his skull. The symbol of the Sheikah was tattooed on his forehead.

Sickening pops and snaps emanated from the figure's joints as calmly reached over to the table and picked up the book that Link had been hunched over.

"' _A Treatise on Zora Anatomy,' hmm? Interesting choice for a Hylian…"_ The figure murmured. _"Come with me."_

Link shot her an uncertain glance as the stooped figure shambled away. Mipha made no reply as she had no idea what was happening. The Hylian shrugged and followed after their unexpected host. She was not far behind.

" _It has been a long while since I have had visitors. Tell me, how did you find this place?"_

"We were exploring," Mipha replied.

" _Explorers? Interesting."_ He sounded anything but interested in the fact. _"In here,"_ he muttered as he led them to a small opening that had gone unnoticed by either of them. Within the small room was another pedestal for the Slate. This one matched the ones that unlocked runes on the Slate. _"One moment."_

"Who do you think he is?" Link murmured as they watched him operate several controls on the pedestal.

" _I am the caretaker of this place,"_ their host muttered absently.

"What is this place?" Mipha asked.

" _Long ago, the pilot of Vah Ruta, who was first and foremost a scholar, witnessed the destruction that the Calamity was capable of. Fearing that future generations may not fare as well, he created this place, under Naydra's watchful eye, in order to protect the knowledge that had been and would be acquired."_

"So, this place contains knowledge of the past?"

" _Yes. The hall that you explored is one of several that not only holds the histories of Hyrule, but also histories of nations whose origins lie in other worlds."_

"Other worlds?"

" _You are not so deluded to believe that this is the only world in all of existence, are you?"_

"I guess I never thought about it," Mipha replied. It was an idea that she couldn't quite comprehend. When she was a child, Zora's Domain had been all that existed to her. The first time she left the safety of the pure waters, her world had expanded frighteningly fast. Now, just the idea that there were other worlds beyond the one they inhabited was an almost terrifying concept.

" _Unsurprising. Our world has enough dilemmas without throwing in the possibilities of other worlds."_ Their host turned back to them and gestured towards the terminal. _"Place the Slate in the pedestal."_

Link stepped forward hesitantly and placed the Slate in the pedestal. After once again authenticating the Slate, the pedestal began glowing as a new message appeared on the Slate.

" _Along with the Treatise, I also took the liberty of giving you the rune required to read it, along with a few other works that may interest you."_

"They're stored on the Slate?" Link asked incredulously.

" _You possess a Slate capable of creating bombs, manipulating electromagnetism, freezing objects in time, and creating and shattering ice, and you are surprised that it can hold books?"_

"Right…"

" _Now, if that will be all…"_ After receiving no response, he left the Hylian and the Zora to replace the book they had taken. The two stared at him, not entirely sure how they should respond.

"I think… I think we should start heading back," Link muttered dazedly.

Mipha nodded and, together, they quietly left, giving the ancient Sheikah a wide berth as they stepped through the large hall. Neither had anything to say until they were back outside of the complex.

"Well… that happened," Link muttered as he scratched the side of the head.

"Yes." The caretaker of the library had made her uncomfortable, though she found it sweet that he had helped them without any prompting. In retrospect, it may have had more to do with the fear that they would create disorder in his meticulously kept collection, but it was sweet all the same. "I think I might like to visit this place again, someday."

"If you say so," Link replied with a shrug. "We should get back to the others…"

"I agree."

Link nodded and approached a damaged section of the Upper Promenade. To her surprise, the Hylian sat, allowing his legs to hang over the edge as he looked down at the river below them. Mipha, unsure of what was going through his mind, sat down beside him. She too looked at the river to see the moon gazing back at her.

"…Do you remember when we were kids, and everything was so straightforward?" After a long silence, Mipha was surprised to hear the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Becoming a knight was all I wanted when I was a kid. I thought that being the strongest warrior in Hyrule would be enough for me… and I thought it would make my father proud. Now, it doesn't feel like all I want."

"You don't want to be a knight anymore?"

"That's not exactly it," Link replied with a frustrated sigh. "It's like that isn't enough anymore. It seems like an empty path now."

"So, what are you thinking?" Mipha asked quietly.

"I don't know…" Link muttered. "It's like I don't even know who I am anymore."

Mipha looked at her friend. Though he tried to hide his distress, Mipha knew him well enough to know that this was bothering him more than he wanted her to know.

"When you were a child, you were always so full of hope, even though you suffered a terrible tragedy. After you left the Domain the first time, it seemed that less and less of you came back every time. I hated watching you leave because I knew eventually there would be nothing of you left. There were so many times I almost begged you to stay in the Domain, where maybe what was left of you would survive. I never did because I did not want you to give up on your dream." Mipha swallowed around a lump that was forming in her throat. She hated thinking of his visits. A part of her had once wished that maybe he wouldn't come back just so she wouldn't have to see a little more of him die.

"I'm sorry," Link muttered.

"For what?"

"I shouldn't have made you worry like that."

"No, no. I should have been a better- "

"Stop," Link interrupted vehemently. It had been a long time since she had heard such a genuine reaction from him. "Don't try to make this your fault. I always looked forward to going to the Domain because I knew you would be waiting for me." Link sighed as he hung his head in his hands. "Hylia reminded me that a part of being a friend is relying on those close to you when you need them. I never did that… I'm sorry for not being the friend you deserved."

"And I am sorry- " she raised her hand to cut Link off before he could interrupt her again, "- I am sorry that I didn't press you as I should have."

"So we both suck?" Link asked as he looked at her blankly.

"… yes, I suppose we both… suck." She wasn't sure what it is was, but both of them began laughing before they really understood what was so funny. "Well, I suppose we really should be going now."

"Yeah."

It was a long time before either one of them moved.

* * *

"Mipha, put that thing away." Urbosa rubbed her temple as the Zora Princess' eyes snapped up from the Slate. The younger woman had tripped several times that day as they made their way back to Kakariko because her eyes had been glued to the object in her hands.

"I am sorry," she mumbled as she handed the Slate back to Link, who had chosen to walk next to her after her second near encounter with the forest floor.

Link smiled at her lightly as she flushed in embarrassment.

"Dear Nayru, can we not start this again?"

"C'mon Revali. It's good to see those two gettin back to their usual selves," Daruk chided.

"Oh yes, because all we need is those two acting like children again."

"Oh stop. You aren't the epitome of maturity either." Urbosa bit back the rest of what she had wanted to say. She had been in a foul mood since the previous night, but it wasn't his fault and she needed to remember that.

"At least I have enough sense to watch where I'm going."

"I think what Urbosa's trying to say is that you're still young yet. You still got some growin to do," Daruk said quickly.

She wasn't sure whether she was grateful for his intervention or annoyed at the loss of a chance to unleash some of her pent-up irritation. "You know, I think it would be a good time for a break, any takers?"

"Yes!" Mipha cried quickly as Link shrugged.

"Why? We didn't take a break on the way there?"

"Excellent! Enjoy it while you can! I wanna get back to Kakariko before nightfall."

Urbosa sighed as she leaned against the nearest tree and began rubbing her eyes. She had her suspicions about what was bothering her, but she wasn't entirely sure.

She glanced up to find Mipha's face stuck in the Slate again. Link was sharpening his weapon, his face screwed up in concentration while Revali was pacing and muttering to himself. All in all, nothing was new.

"Hey," Daruk muttered as he sidled up to her, "come with me for a minute?"

"I think I'll pass," she muttered. "What?" she asked as he frowned at her.

"That wasn't really an option."

"And if I choose it anyway?"

"Do you really want me to throw you over my shoulder?"

"Very well," she growled. Daruk was completely oblivious to her ire as he gave her an approving grin. She followed the Goron for a short distance, that was until he plopped onto the ground unceremoniously. He stared at her expectantly from his place on the ground. "What do you need?"

"What's botherin you?"

"Bothering me?"

"Yep. You've been off since last night. Even Revali's noticed that you're not your usual self."

"I'm just frustrated."

"Yeah and I wanna know why?"

She debated not answering him, but she knew better. He wasn't just going to let it go.

"…Do you remember the last time we visited Mount Lanayru?" she finally asked.

"You mean when Ganon broke free?"

"No I mean the- " she bit back the rest of her response and began rubbing her temples, pressing so hard it began to hurt. She sighed after she had recollected herself, noticing that Daruk was unperturbed by her momentary loss of control. "Yes, that time."

"So?"

"Do you know why Zelda behaved like there was little hope left."

"I can't say that I do," Daruk muttered thoughtfully. That didn't really surprise her. The only other person who hadn't been completely wrapped up in their own despair had been Mipha. "I know she was struggling to use her magic, but that's about it."

"Yes. If I am remembering correctly, she trained for years and was never able to use it. Tell me, do you know the origin of the Royal Family's power?"

"No."

"Hylia," Urbosa spat. "Our 'benevolent' Goddess was silent for all of her prayers, and now," she continued as her voice gained volume, "here she is one hundred years later, having the nerve to ask us to do her bidding! Where was she when Hyrule fell? Where was she when Zelda went to confront Ganon all alone? Where was she when- when-" She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Where was she when children were forced to take on the weight of the world?"

"…" Daruk began scratching his beard as his eyes began drifting up. She was tapping her fingers as he continued staring above her with the most thoughtful expression she had seen yet. "Yep," he finally said, "that sucks."

"What?" She wasn't sure what else to say to that.

"I have no idea where she was, but I do know one thing," he said with a confident nod.

"And what's that?"

"I'm starving! Let's get goin.'" The Goron quickly got to his feet and, without another word, began making his way back to the others.

Urbosa stared after him, trying to comprehend Daruk's sudden departure. He had dragged her out here, questioned her, then paraded off as though none of it had happened. As she began moving again, she noticed that the tightness she had felt was slowly ebbing away. The Gerudo Champion smiled ruefully after Daruk as she realized that he had forced her to vent some of the irritation that had been building. Rather than trying to solve her problem, he had given her an outlet.

He was cleverer than she had thought.

"Hey, Big Guy," she called out as she took after him.

"Hmm?" he asked as he stopped and waited for her.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For listening."

"Oh, that. Anytime!" he replied with a grin.

"I'll admit, I didn't think you were capable of that."

"Capable of what?"

"Letting a woman vent. I thought you were going to try and solve the problem."

"Uh… sure?" Daruk replied uncertainly. "I mean, I really just wanted to know what was wrong."

Urbosa's fingers found their way to her temple again. Maybe he wasn't that subtle after all.

* * *

"My apologies," Impa murmured as they all settled in around the large, round table that had been set up especially for them in her home. Most of the room's contents had been shoved off to the side to make room for them. "My sister should be joining us shortly."

Daruk took a deep breath as he settled down opposite of Impa. Talking to her always exhausted him.

"Don't worry, Daruk. This won't be a… well, I believe you would have called it a 'formal shindig.' I just wished to relive old times with you all again, if only for a moment."

"Was having dinner together a typical affair for us?" Urbosa asked from her place to his right.

"Not exactly," Impa replied, "but the times we did were interesting affairs."

"How so?' Mipha asked from the other side of Link, who sat just to Daruk's left.

"I'd rather not spoil the surprise for my dear Paya here," Impa replied as she gestured towards her granddaughter.

"I'm not sure what the likes of them could do to surprise you, besides surviving of course," Revali sighed as he sat next to Urbosa.

"Sorry!" Purah shouted as she burst through the door. "Sorry, Sorry, Sorry! I completely lost track of time!"

"We can see that," Impa replied dryly.

"Well, exxcuuuussse- "

"Don't start that."

"Fiiine. Why are you so bossy?"

"Why are you reverting to a child?"

Purah huffed as she looked at the table setup. The feisty woman in child's form deflated as she saw the only open seat was next to Mipha. She hesitated before finally taking the seat.

"Um… Madam Purah… If I've done something to offend you- "

"No, no!" Purah interrupted quickly, her voice remarkably higher pitched than usual. Daruk frowned as the small scientist shifted uncomfortably.

"The last time we had a similar meal, Purah made a mistake that led to quite the verbal thrashing from Mipha."

"Impa…"

"I believe it was the same day as your inauguration," Impa continued, overriding Purah's objections. "Purah had finally managed to activate one of the Guardians while the rest of us were celebrating- "

"So, Paya! Why don't you tell everyone how you got your name?"

"u-um a-at b-b-bir- "

"She has a birthmark in the shape of a Papaya on her left butt cheek," Impa finished dismissively. "As I was saying; not long after Purah had successfully turned the Guardian on, she lost control of it. Eventually, the rampaging machine made its way to where we were feasting- "

"And where did she get that birthmark from?" Purah asked accusingly.

"From me." Daruk was impressed with Impa's fortitude. If Revali had tried interrupting him like that, he would have snapped a lot sooner. "Now may I finish? You know that regaining their memories is important."

"But do they have to know about that one?" Purah whined.

"It's not for us to judge what is important for them to remember."

"Fine," Purah pouted as she folded her arms and stuck her bottom lip out.

"Thank you," Impa sighed. "Now, as the machine was rushing towards us, it began charging its laser. Link, for once not using his head, pulled a pot lid from Hylia knows where and tried to use it as a shield…"

"Impa, you alright?" Daruk asked as the Elder began struggling for breath. Her chest was convulsing, and her face was twitching violently.

"Yes, yes," she strained to get out. "As I was saying; the pot lid blocked the worst of the damage, but Link was severely injured. Thankfully, Daruk was there and smashed it to bits with Urbosa's help. When Mipha finally got ahold of Link and Purah she sat you down and- and, " Impa stopped for as her breathing became even more strained.

"Grandmother? Is something wrong?"

"She gave you two the verbal flaying of a lifetime!" Impa shouted. With it finally out, Impa dissolved into a cackling mess as Purah continued pouting.

"There they know now."

"Oh ho ho! She sat the two of you down in front of every soldier there and really let you two have it," Impa cackled gleefully. "Dear Nayru," she wheezed, "even Urbosa was stepping lightly around you after that." Revali almost spat out his drink. The Rito, after he regained his composure, began snickering quietly as Urbosa frowned.

"I did what?" Mipha asked. Daruk grinned at the horrified Zora Princess. She really didn't strike him as the type to lose her temper like that.

"Okay, okay. Can we move on now?"

"Oh, you had that coming for a long time," Impa murmured wistfully. "I have never seen you so mortified, before or since."

"Jeez," Purah grumbled quietly, "you didn't find it that funny at the moment."

"Oh, I did," Impa assured her, "I was much better at hiding it though."

"Hmph! Well, while we're on the subject of funny stories, why don't I tell the one where Urbosa knocked Revali out of the sky?"

"Now that does sound like a story I would like to hear," Urbosa interjected.

"Hey, look," Revali said as Dorian and another guard began bringing in platters of food, "I think we should eat while it's hot."

"So Daruk suggested that you all get to know each other via sparring matches, and naturally- "

"I hate you all," Revali moaned just before his head smacked into the table.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured that I should end an interlude arc with a less serious chapter. I had some fun with it.


	16. The Place He Calls Home

Revali pulled the Slate out of the terminal and walked towards the edge of the tower. He had visited two towers that had been separated by a river and had downloaded the corresponding map data. While the quiet of his solo journey had been a relief, he wasn't ready to return to the others yet.

So, he chose to dive off the tower into the crumbling structure below.

It had caught his eye as he had been flying past. The typical, run of the mill ruins wasn't something he found particularly interesting, but this one was different. For starters, it was covered in destroyed Guardians. Even the small portions of the bridge that led over a crevasse were covered in the machines. The whole scene looked like the remnants of a war zone.

He flew through a section of the citadel that had been blown off, likely by a Guardian blast. The Rito touched down lightly and looked around. Weapons and shields lay scattered around, some whole and others shattered beyond repair. There were skeletons as well, broken and charred, scattered in unrecognizable heaps. Some lay in the center and some sat against the walls.

"What happened here?" he asked one of the skeletons at his feet.

"Well Birdbrain, this is where we all died after we led the Guardians away from all of you Champions." Revali nearly shot out of his feathers. He spun around quickly to find a Hylian with brown hair and green eyes giving him a boy-like smile.

"Who in Din's name are you?"

"Wow!" the Hylian exclaimed as he shook his head, "You really don't remember me? I suppose it would be odd for you to remember me when you were more concerned about how Link's existence damaged your ego," he finished thoughtfully.

"Who. Are. You?"

"Owen."

"Owen?"

"That's what I just said." Owen began waving his hand in front of Revali's eyes. "Is everything alright in there? Did your nap mess anything up… well, more than it was before?"

"I'll have you know that there is nothing wrong with me! Nothing in the slightest!" Revali tried to push the Hylian back, but his hands went straight through the young man's chest. "What?"

"Wow, you must have really fried your brain if you didn't notice that I said I died here," Owen chuckled.

"Well, you're certainly cavalier for a dead man."

"What's the point in worrying when you're already dead?" Revali was quickly beginning to dislike Owen. His offhand manner was extraordinarily disrespectful.

"I don't have time for this."

"Fine, fine. I'll get to the point, but it involves doing me a favor."

"And if I- "

"There is something in it for you."

"Oh fine," Revali sighed, "I'm listening."

"I need you take something to Link."

"You do realize I'm not a messenger bird, right?"

"What? You mean that scarf doesn't make you a messenger pigeon?" Revali patience was receding faster than he ever thought possible.

"Whatever is in it for me had better be worth it."

"I'm sure you'll like it," Owen replied as he stepped over the decaying remains of his fallen brothers. "See this handsome guy right here?" he asked as he gestured to skeleton missing its right arm. "That's me, or what's left of me anyway."

"What does this have to do with your favor?" Revali asked nervously. He really didn't want to have to touch Owen's dead body.

"I need you to take this- " he muttered as he knelt down and unstrapped the shield that was attached to his remaining arm, "- to Link. I borrowed it after he fell."

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Touch that?"

"Because I wanted to?" Owen replied. Suddenly, the young man's face widened as he understood. "Oh! You want to know why you couldn't touch me, but I was able to pick this up?" he asked as he held up the shield.

"No, I wanted to know how you're able to speak the same language- yes I want to know how that happened."

"Uh… I don't really understand the specifics myself," the Hylian soldier responded as he waved a hand dismissively. "It's something to do with how a spirit's will can interact with the physical world or… something. I don't really know. I didn't pay attention to afterlife orientation."

Revali narrowed his eyes as he took the shield. At least Rhoam had taken the situation seriously. "So, what's the deal with this thing?" he asked as he took the shield. The base color was a deep blue that was covered with gold and red accents that formed three golden triangles with a bird beneath it.

"Apparently, shields like this were created back before even the Divine Beasts were made. I guess they were magically enhanced, and they are dang near indestructible. This one was passed down in Link's family. Anyway, not only is this thing strong, but it has a few magic properties, one of them being the ability to knock back Guardian blasts."

Revali scoffed at that.

"What? You don't think you can do that with just any pot lid, do you?" Owen asked innocently. "Link already tried that… it didn't work."

"Fine. I'll give it back to him." Revali snickered quietly as he thought back to the story Impa had told him about Link trying to protect himself with a pot lid.

"Awesome! Now, as for you…" Owen frowned as he looked around. "Where did it- oh! There it is." The Hylian knight crossed the floor quickly and began digging through a pile of rubble. "Ha! Gotcha!" he exclaimed as he held up a black and purple bow.

"What is this?" Revali was fascinated by the metalwork on the weapon as he inspected the craftsmanship. It was smooth and elegant, and the darker palette appealed to him greatly.

"It's a Royal Guard's Bow," Owen replied.

"How powerful is it?"

"I think you managed to put an arrow through a Guardian at over 400 meters."

"400!?" That was nearly double what he could do now.

"Yeah, it's strong, but I wouldn't use it often. Those things are about as durable as your ego. Just a little too much prodding and boom- " he grinned as he threw his arms wide, "- no more bow."

"I think I get the picture," Revali grumbled. "Now if that's all."

"Jeez, why do you always try to leave the party early?"

"Why would I stay? So you can continue slandering me."

"I actually had something else to give you, but if you're sure you want to leave…"

"What?" He would refuse to admit it, but the Hylian had piqued Revali's interest.

"Nah, don't worry about it. You said you were leaving. I won't take any more of your time," Owen sighed as tilted his head back and draped a hand over his face. "I'll just sit here for the rest of eternity, all alone."

"What is it?"

"Fine, fine. You're always so pushy. Here –" Owen muttered as he handed over a quiver that he had picked up. "These are ancient arrows. Unlike normal arrows, these can actually, you know, kill Guardians. Might make you feel more useful."

"I'll have you know that I helped kill one on the Great Plateau!" Revali snapped defensively.

"But could you have done it by yourself?"

"…"

"Right," Owen sighed, for once dropping his childlike grin. "Do you remember how you fell one hundred years ago?"

"No, but even if I did, what would these arrows have to do with it? We fell because Ganon infected the Divine Beasts."

"Yes and no. Even before the Calamity attacked the Beasts we were having problems. The Guardians had turned against us and there was little we could do. Urbosa, Link, and Daruk were really the only ones who could do much of anything to them. You could have, but your idiotic ego just had to get in the way."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He didn't like where this was going. It was beginning to sound like Owen was blaming him for their failures, and that couldn't be right at all.

"We had the perfect weapon to even your odds against the Guardians, and you refused to use it because you didn't need a 'crutch' as you put it. Your arrows couldn't even put a dent in them. All they really did was buy us one or two more moments."

"If you're bla- "

"Just shut up for a minute will you!" Owen snapped. "Look, when it comes to ordinary soldiers like me or the rest of these guys, one or two making stupid mistakes doesn't really change much of anything. When it's a heavy hitter like one of you Champions, it can make a world of difference. Can you imagine how much better off we would have been if you had just swallowed your pride and used the Goddess forsaken arrows."

"Even if that were true," Revali spat, "it doesn't make all this my fault," he finished as he gestured to the destruction around them.

"You're impossible," Owen muttered as he palmed his forehead. "I'm not saying it's entirely your fault, but I'm not doing you any favors by letting you run away from your share of the blame!"

Revali looked away, trying to tamp down the anger that sparked within him. "What do you want from me?" he finally asked.

"I want you to actually be a Champion."

"What, like your 'friend' Link?"

"No," Owen replied evenly. "He's got his own issues to work out. I want you both to be better than you were."

"Wow, your loyalty _amazes_ me. To think that you would speak so highly of a friend, even in death, why, it's simply admirable."

"Yep," Owen replied cheekily, his former carefree attitude returning. "I was his friend, and now I'm trying to be yours. Sometimes, being a good friend means calling people out when they need it. Link needed it and so do you."

"I can make friends that are better than the likes of you!"

"If you say so," Owen chuckled. "Now then, I should get going. Make sure you give that shield to Link, alright?"

"And if I don't?"

"Then I'll haunt you," Owen replied with a smirk as he brought his hands up playfully. "Say goodbye to restful nights."

"You know," Revali replied slyly, "Rhoam informed us that he was trapped on the Great Plateau. He could appear there as he pleased, but he was also trapped there by his own regrets."

"Yeah, but I didn't die with regrets," Owen replied calmly. "You know what that means?"

Revali said nothing as his smirk fell flat while the Hylian's became devilish.

"Yep. I'm not held here. I could appear anywhere I want. So, you might wanna get moving, Bird Brains." Owen disappeared from view, but his disembodied voice continued, "oh, one other thing, tell Link it's crunch time, so he'd better get it together."

The Rito had no qualms about leaving the place behind.

* * *

Link wished he could double check the map just to make sure he wasn't crazy. He had no memory of a town being marked not far from the fork in the road that led to Zora's Domain. He had double checked the route they would take before he had handed the Slate off to Revali, and he was certain that there hadn't been a town. He wished that was the only thing that bothered him.

Something about the place felt distinctly familiar.

"Was this place on the map?" Daruk questioned as they entered the small town.

"No," Link replied. He supposed it had something to do with the novelty of the village. He wasn't an expert, but even he could see that the paint that coated the wooden houses had only recently been applied.

The thing that really stood out was the distinct lack of people. Even when they reached the center of town, they only ran into a small handful of villagers most of whom couldn't be bothered by the presence of their visitors. Link found it odd. He thought that, ordinarily, villagers would be quick to greet visitors, to make them feel at home. Here, the villagers didn't seem to care.

"Do you suppose this the town that those two travelers mentioned?" Urbosa asked thoughtfully. "They mentioned that New Ordon was in danger of being washed away. Wouldn't it need to be close to the Domain for that?"

"It would have to be." Mipha's response was, for once, completely neutral. There was nothing to indicate how the Zora Princess felt about being here.

The conversation quieted down as Link continued forward, guided by some force he couldn't quite understand. He was drawn through the town to a little house who, even though it was surrounded on both sides, appeared separate, as though it didn't quite exist with the others.

It was small and homely, covered with a pale creamy hue that would not have been his first choice. There were two windows on the bottom and only one on the upper story. The yard itself was torn up and would likely take a summer of long hard work to get it back in order. All in all, it was not the ideal image of a home, but something about it tugged at his heartstrings.

" _Hey, Little Guy, is it just me or does this place look familiar?"_

* * *

_Link_ _and Owen stared up in amazement at the giant that blocked out the sun. He was orange and rocky with a beard, and he was really, really big. Despite his massive size, Link didn't feel threatened by the rock man. Maybe it had something to do with the kind-hearted grin that split his face._

"Hey, do you guys know an Ellen?" the giant asked.

"What do you want with my mom?" Link asked as his awe was lost to defensiveness. Though the giant hadn't struck him as threatening, that didn't mean that his mother wasn't in danger.

"Wait! Are you… uh…" he trailed off. "What was his kid's name again?" the giant murmured to himself. "Uh… Lyn, no… Linkle, no, no… wait! Link! That's what it was," he finished confidently. "You're Link, right?"

"Y-yes."

"So you're the Little Guy that your dad talked about."

"You knew my dad?"

"Did he not mention me?"

"No. Were you guys friends?"

"Even better," Daruk replied as he pounded his chest, "I'm his brother."

"Whoa," Link breathed. "Does that make you my uncle," he asked excitedly.

"Yep!" Daruk replied as he went to pat Link on the back.

"Daruk! Don't you dare break my son's back!" Link sighed as his mom's voice rang out from behind them. He loved her, but she had a habit of being overprotective.

"Ellen! It's good to see you!" Daruk cried as Link's mother walked up to him and set her hands on her hips.

"Don't you 'Ellen!' me," she scolded as one her hands removed itself from its perch on her hip to shake a finger at him. "I saw you about to slap my son on the back like you would do to Henry."

"No, I wasn't," Daruk replied quickly as he raised his massive hands defensively. "Well not as hard anyway," he finished with a wince.

"Do not slap him on the back, or you'll be stumbling back to Goron City."

"Will do," a very flustered Daruk replied as he nodded quickly. Link and Owen exchanged a grin as they watched the massive rock man. It was hilarious to watch someone so big be cowed by his mother. Then again, Daruk had been nice, if a bit excitable.

"Good. Now then, it's good to see you again," Ellen said as her glower morphed into a welcoming smile as she went to hug the Goron.

"I'm glad to see you're still doing alright, especially after… well, I'm just glad you're ok."

"It is a struggle some days, but we'll make do," she sighed. "Now come, come. You know Henry would be upset if I didn't at least show you around."

"Before we do that, there's somethin I've been meaning to tell you. I'm sorry that I didn't make it to Henry's funeral. Things were just hectic in the City, and they needed me up there."

"We both know that he would have wanted you where you were needed most."

"Yeah, but he was a brother." Link's face fell as heard the sorrow in Daruk's voice. It was in that moment that he understood just how important his father had been to the Goron. No one sounded that sad for someone they didn't care about.

"I know, I know. He was important to a lot of people," Ellen murmured as she began leading the Goron away. Link was about to follow when he felt Owen tug on him.

"Hey!" Owen whispered excitedly. "I've got an idea." Link grinned at his childhood friend. Knowing Owen, it had to be good. "Let's go get that pail that we always use and climb up to the top of your house and wait for that guy there."

"But we almost always do that," Link muttered. It wasn't just that he was disappointed at the overall lack of creativity, though, he should have expected it as Owen always started the same way with each new victim. He just wasn't fond of the idea of pranking his Father's friend.

"Yeah, but he looks like someone that would enjoy a funny prank."

"I guess," Link sighed. He wasn't entirely convinced, but sometimes people found it humorous… after they were finished being upset by it.

"Awesome!" Owen cried as, together, the two boys went about their mischief.

After completing the less than fun part of filling a bucket and climbing up the side of the house with it, the two sat on Link's roof waiting for his mother and their guest to come strolling their way. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, their target came around the corner.

"Ready?" Owen asked.

"Definitely," Link replied, his earlier reservations forgotten.

Link watched the two like a hawk as they slowly made their way towards the house. He smiled as he watched Daruk talk. The giant kept making large motions or slapped his stomach and the large grin seemed to be a permanent addition to his face. He rather liked Daruk.

Link frowned as his neighbor's dog started barking at the Goron. It wasn't unusual for the stupid creature to bark at anything that moved, but Daruk seemed really bothered by it. Though he was much larger, he lost his grin as his face slackened. It was almost like he was trying to hide his massive self behind Link's mother as he tried to edge carefully around the dog, who kept trying to lash at the Goron but was restrained by a leash.

Daruk visibly relaxed as they put some distance between the dog and himself, though he was still rather tense and would occasionally throw glances over his shoulder.

"Hey, Owen, do you think he's scared of- " Link stopped short as the rope snapped, letting the dog free. It began charging wildly, barking madly as it raced after Daruk and his mother. Daruk started sprinting away, clearly terrified of the small creature charging towards him. "Come on!"

"Hey! Wait up!" Owen cried as Link slid down the roof towards the section that was closest to the ground. He hopped off and rolled as he collided with the ground, glad that he finally had a use for the trick that he had spent hours jumping out of trees to master. The boy came out of his roll and ran towards the dog, diving towards what was left of the rope.

Though he dug his heels into the ground, Link was still dragged after the animal. He stumbled, somehow maintaining his grip on the rope as he rolled around on the ground.

"I got your back!" he heard Owen call. Suddenly, the tug of war that Link had been engaged in began to turn in his favor. He managed to get back to his feet and sent a strained grin over his shoulder. "Together?"

"Heave!" Link cried

"Ho!" Owen responded as they pulled with all their might, managing to drag the raging animal back a few steps.

"Heave!"

"Ho!"

"Heave!"

"For heaven's sake! That's a dog, not a goddesses' forsaken monster you lousy- "

"You can stop there," Ellen interrupted. Even though he was not the source of his mother's anger, Link still shivered as his mother stormed up to Terrence, their neighbor, and set her hands on her hips. "You may not speak to my child like that!"

Terrence paled slightly at the short but fierce blonde in front of him. Ellen had a reputation in Ordon for her temper. Even Henry, who was famous for his reckless courage bordering on foolhardiness, was cowed by her choler, though not easily.

The man turned away and grumbled petulantly as he took his still barking dog and stalked off. Ellen shook her head as Terrence left.

"Are you alright?" she asked Link as she knelt down to look at him.

"I'm okay," Link replied quietly.

"Good. Now, I know you wanted to help, but I need you to be more careful, okay?" She pulled him in for a hug as she continued, "I don't know what I would do if you got hurt."

"I just grabbed his leash, nothing dangerous."

"Link, you know that dog bites and bites hard. Don't go and do such dangerous things."

"Okay…"

"Sorry, everyone," Daruk grumbled as he left his hiding spot. "I didn't mean to make a scene."

"It's okay, everybody is scared of something," Link replied with a small smile.

"I guess..." Daruk sighed. "I'm just glad you guys were there."

"Speaking of that, how did you two get here so fast." Link paled slightly as his mother narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Owen and I were waiting for you two on the roof."

"And why is that?"

"..."

"You two weren't planning on dumping water on somebody's head, again were you?"

"Yeah," Link sighed as his foot traced a circle in the dirt.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to- "

Ellen stopped mid-sentence and turned to Daruk as the Goron began laughing. "That reminds me of the time your father convinced me that a simple ruby was a rock roast." He frowned thoughtfully as he continued, "I'm still not sure how he did that. Oh! and there was this other time he- "

" _Daruk, don't be putting ideas into their heads!" Ellen interrupted quickly. She must have seen the grins that had crept on to his and Owen's face._

" _Aww, mooom," Link whined, causing Daruk to begin laughing again._

* * *

"You okay, Little Guy?"

Link shrugged as he stared at the house before him, not entirely sure how to feel about it. A part of him was glad to see another building standing where his home had, even if it wasn't the house he grew up in. He wanted to go in and explore the new house, to see if it held anything for him, but he couldn't just walk into any building he pleased.

"I see you have fine taste," greeted a new voice. He turned to find a man with a pink headband and matching earring smiling genially at him. "We built that house during the town's construction, but, luckily for you, nobody's taken it."

"How much?" Link asked as his gaze returned to the house.

"Normally, I'd say fifty thousand rupees, but nobody wants it. I also like you," the man decided. "All right, how does three thousand rupees sound?"

"Link, are you sure about this?" Mipha asked from beside him. He hadn't noticed her presence until she had spoken.

Link's hand found his purse and began counting out the change. He began to lose count as his mind began to drift to some of the memories that he had regained.

He remembered how he and the Bazz Brigade would train together. How he and Sidon would invariably find every method to enrage Muzu. How Owen would come up with some hair-brained scheme to distract Muzu and the young Prince so that he and Mipha could have one private conversation.

"I've changed my mind," Link muttered as he began shoving the rupees back into his purse.

"Wait!" the man cried. "I can go lower!"

"No," Link muttered quietly.

"Can I ask why?" he sighed.

"I already have a home," Link replied. "I just forgot."

"That's a bit much too forget, don't you think?"

Link just shrugged as he turned his back and walked away, not once looking back at the little house.

* * *

"He wanted you to have this," Revali finished stiffly as he handed over the shield to Link. He wasn't fond of being a messenger bird, but he figured that somebody had to do it. "I suppose it doesn't really count as a gift, seeing as he borrowed it from you in the first place."

The first thing he had done when he had rejoined the others was to pull Link aside and explain to the Hylian the fate that had befallen his friend. To Revali's surprise, Link's face visibly fell. Not as much as he would have expected of a normal person, but more than he had expected from the normally stoic Hylian Knight.

Link took the shield and held it as though it were a foreign object. Revali almost felt… pity for his Hylian compatriot. The boy had been looking lost the past few days and learning of his friend's fate likely wouldn't help him in the slightest.

"He also wanted you to know that he died without regrets," he finished as he folded his wings and looked away. He had tried to sound apathetic about the whole affair, but there had been the tiniest hints of sympathy in his voice. It annoyed him greatly, but he bit his tongue regardless.

"Thank you." Revali eyed Link out of the corner of his eye. The Hylian had bowed his head as he held the shield, likely acknowledging his friend's passage into the next life. After he had finished, Link removed his battered Knight's shield and replaced it with his family's heirloom.

"Just don't go thinking you're indestructible now. Someone has to deal with the cannon fodder that way the actual grownups can deal with the real problems."

Link rolled his eyes.

"Don't you get snippy with me," Revali growled as he stepped forward and jutted his face towards the Hylian. "Need I remind you that I was the one who saved your life during the fight with Naydra."

Link raised a brow as he refused to break the Rito's gaze. The contest continued for what seemed to be hours before Link finally spoke.

"Thanks again for this." Link turned his back on the Rito and walked back to the cookpot that Urbosa had been attending in his place.

Revali was sincerely considering going on another scouting mission. He let out a deep breath and followed after Link.

He chose a seat next to Daruk, who oddly enough was staring at Midna. The Goron looked at him as he sat down.

"What's wrong?"

"That idiot boy keeps mounting his high horse."

"Give him a break," Daruk murmured patiently as he began stroking his beard.

"And why should I do that?"

"He's had a day."

"And what does that mean?"

"We visited New Ordon today, and he remembered something."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Revali asked skeptically.

"Yeah, but it's a lot to process," Daruk muttered. For some reason, he looked back down at Midna as he continued stroking his beard.

"What do you mean 'a lot to process?'"

"Just wait til you get some of your memories."

Revali had been impatiently waiting for his memories to return ever since he had learned that it may be possible. Now, as he observed how tired Daruk looked and thought back to how odd Link had been, he wasn't as eager. He wondered if he truly wanted to know.

"Hmm," Daruk hummed as he looked back at Midna. "You don't seem to bother me now." Midna looked up at him and tilted her head.

"What?" Revali asked, completely baffled by the exchange.

"Oh, uh… it's nothing," Daruk replied quickly.

"I'm sure. If I didn't know better, I'd say you just remembered you were afraid of dogs," Revali sighed.

"What!? How did you know?!"

"Wait," Revali said as his brain began short-circuiting. "You can't mean you actually are- "

"No! I'm sure that wasn't it at all! See, I'm sitting here with Midna and I'm completely fine!"

"So, Big Guy, care to explain what all the shouting is about?" Revali flinched slightly as Urbosa appeared out of nowhere, draping her arm over one of Daruk's shoulders.

"Nothing."

"You know, there's a difference between your 'I'm happy' shout and your "I'm really nervous right now' shout"

"Daruk and I were just discussing how often he accidentally breaks people," Revali replied smoothly. He felt a brief moment of camaraderie with the Goron as Daruk sent him a relieved smile.

Urbosa frowned at Daruk and then at him before sighing. "Since Revali doesn't feel like playing, I guess I'll just go ahead and ask: are you really afraid of dogs?"

Revali wondered whether or not the Gerudo Champion was, in fact, a descendant of the Calamity. Her sly grin certainly made him think so.

* * *

Midna growled in frustration as she stared her reflection in the pond. All she was trying to do was curve her lips up the same way that the others did, but no matter how hard she tried, her face was incapable of moving the same way. When they bared their teeth with upward facing lips, they appeared happy or excited. When she bared her teeth, she looked ready to attack.

Her reason for trying to learn the action was simple. Since before they had visited the River Swimmers, Brother had been miserable. In her old way of living, if one of the pack had a problem, he had to deal with it himself. Here, they took care of each other, and she would try to do the same despite her lack of communicative ability.

Though she had learned what some of the sounds that they made meant, she couldn't make them herself. She knew the sound that meant Brother, or Mother, or any of the others for that matter, she even knew the one they had made for her; however, she couldn't make them. It was endlessly frustrating to feel like she knew what was going on but was never really able to give her input except through growls.

Hence her reason for trying to learn how to bare her teeth without looking like she was going to kill something. For some odd reason, the action was contagious among the two-legs. One would do it, and soon enough, even the Large Chicken would be doing it to no matter how he tried to hide it. What was more, they all were genuinely in a better mood because of it. She didn't really understand it, but very little of what they did made sense.

Besides, Alpha had been giving her funny looks all day and had even sat next to her. He didn't usually pay her any mind, so the action was peculiar, though, not entirely unwelcome. That was until she had noticed how intently he was staring at her. She supposed it must have something to do with how hectic things had been the last few moons…

she really needed some sort of normalcy to return.

She tried one more time, throwing far more effort into forcing the corner of her maw upwards. She growled again. The only real progress she made was keeping her hackles from raising. It made her look mildly less intimidating.

She turned sharply and marched over to Brother who was sitting in front of the light that he made every night. She sat down firmly in front of him, much to his surprise. She waited until the dopey expression left his face and then she pulled her lips back. The corners of his lips turned down, but she kept her mouth frozen in place. Suddenly he leaned forward and clutched the sides of his chest as he made the odd breathing sound she had come to associate with amusement.

She wasn't sure whether to be angry that he was amused with her or glad that her efforts had amounted to something. On one hand, at least he wasn't sad anymore, but on the other hand, he was poking at her pride.

She chose to be offended. She growled at him before promptly leaping at him and tackling him to the ground. He rolled underneath her and pushed her off, jumping to his feet quickly. He was baring his teeth now but in a playful manner. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Sister and Mother tensed, ready to jump in, but Brother waved them off.

She crouched quickly as Brother made it look like he was about to jump on her, but it was merely for show. She raised herself slightly, immediately went low again as Brother pulled the same stunt. He stood still after that, waiting to see what she would do.

The wolf, thoroughly out of patience, leaped forward and tackled him again. The two of them fell to the ground in a tangled mess of limps as she playfully nipped at his arm. For his part, he wrapped his arms around as though to crush her, but only hard enough to hold her in place. She writhed and twisted in his grasp, finally managing to break free.

Midna retreated and got ready to pounce again, but Brother beat her to it as he was the one to tackle her this time. His arms wrapped around her again as he rolled back and forth, disorientating her. She wriggled out and, rather than retreating, she jumped back on top of him and began nipping at him again.

Brother got out from underneath her and the two separated, both tense and ready for the next bout. Brother playfully growled as he feinted again. Midna, exhilarated by their wrestling match, pawed at the ground impatiently. Just before she pounced, she heard the Chicken grumble something. That was okay, she'd deal with him later. Right now, she needed to put Brother in his place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus begins my least favorite arc...


	17. A Lesson in Finer Cooking

Chapter 17

"Are you sure there isn't anything you can do?" Daruk asked.

"I am sorry, but there is not much I can do right now," Mipha responded as she massaged her hands. "I have no experience with fireproof elixirs, and even if I did, I still wouldn't know what to use for Ritos and Hylians."

"It may not be the worst thing," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully. She knew that Daruk hated the idea of splitting up, but it was looking like there wasn't any other option. They had been warned that the path to Death Mountain was dangerously hot. So much so that everyone but Daruk would fry to death long before they reached their destination. Link was the only one who could join Daruk and that was because the same traveler who had given them the warning had sold Link fireproof elixirs.

"What do you mean?" Daruk questioned as Urbosa took another look at the map.

"Even if we can't all help with the next Divine Beast, that doesn't mean we have to sit around moping. There are still two dragons for us to track down. Two birds, one stone."

"I suppose," Daruk sighed as he began pulling at his beard.

"You three," Urbosa said as she pointed to Link, Mipha, and Revali, "we're getting an early start tomorrow. Make sure that you'll be well stocked on supplies." She motioned for Daruk to follow her away from the others as Link began pulling supplies out the satchel on his hip. "You okay, Big Guy?"

"I just hate splitting up."

"I know that, but you've fought this harder than back before we went to the Domain. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I don't know," Daruk muttered as he sat down. The Goron closed his eyes as he scratched at his beard for a moment. "I guess I'm just worried about what I'll find up there."

"You're nervous about getting your memories back?" Urbosa didn't really understand the fear of it herself. She had devoted serious thought as to whether or not she wanted to remember her past. She had decided that she did, no matter what she would learn.

"I never really thought about getting my memories back, but now… I don't know."

"Why exactly are you worried?"

"Because I don't know what I don't know." Urbosa was surprised by his answer. Daruk, while a fine leader, usually didn't think more than a few steps ahead. The more immediate the situation, the more of his attention it received. It was the same for group matters as it was for his own personal affairs. Sometimes though, his foresight surprised her. "What?" he asked as he frowned at her.

"I suppose I'm just surprised that you've been thinking about this. You normally don't think too far ahead."

"I haven't really needed to," Daruk muttered as he scratched the side of his head. "Thinking ahead was your specialty. I mean, you're good on your feet and all, but you're way better than I am when it comes to the big picture stuff."

Urbosa tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully as she inspected the disconcerted Goron, thinking how best to approach the issue.

"So, what will you do first?" she finally asked as she set a hand on her hip.

"First? I guess we need to make it to Goron City, right?"

"Right, and where is that?"

"Just along that path?" His answer sounded more like a question as he stared at her uncertainly.

"So, follow the path to Goron City. Then what?"

"Uh… we pound whatever monster Ganon put on the Divine Beast into oblivion."

"Too far," Urbosa replied, "take a few steps back."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Why go to Goron City in the first place?"

"Um… oh right! We're gonna need information and supplies!"

"Right, so?" she asked expectantly.

"Go to Goron City, learn what we need to, then pound the monster into oblivion," Daruk finished as he pounded the palm of his hand with a fist.

"Good enough," Urbosa sighed. He still wasn't accounting for the potential return of his memories, but it looked like his usual confidence was returning. "Just remember to avoid dogs and breaking Link's back and you'll be fine."

"I'm not scared of dogs!" Daruk replied quickly. "I guess I just didn't care for them back then."

"Sure, sure." Despite her typical joking nature, she didn't doubt his statement. It seemed that no matter what he had remembered, he really didn't seem too bothered by them. He wasn't terribly comfortable with them, but his reactions didn't strike her as those of someone who was afraid of them.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yep. It's one of my finer qualities."

"If you say so."

"I do. Now then, shall we get back to the others?"

"Yep. Gotta make sure we're gonna be ready for tomorrow."

Urbosa waited for Daruk to stand up and join her before turning back to the others. She was surprised to see Link and Revali side by side comparing the supplies and working together to rearrange two piles in front of them while Mipha was cooking something in the pot.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that," Daruk muttered.

"Neither was I." Urbosa had been expecting the two to avoid each other. Their relationship hadn't improved in the slightest even after Revali had brought Link news of his deceased friend, so to see them working together was an unexpected, but welcome, surprise. The two exchanged one last glance and silently agreed that neither one would openly acknowledge what they had seen.

"I'll take ice arrows," Link murmured quietly as he moved a pile of the ice charge projectiles towards him.

"You sure you'll be able to use those?"

"I think so. Even if I can't fire them, they may make decent bombs."

"Bombs?" the Rito asked skeptically.

"How is it going?" Mipha looked up at Urbosa and must have seen that the Gerudo wasn't really listening.

"Extreme temperatures don't mix," Link replied absently as he continued picking through their inventory. "Using one should make an even bigger explosion than the bomb rune."

"If you say so. Shock arrows?"

"I'll take a few. Here's some extra bow strings."

"They've been working together really well," Mipha whispered with a small smile.

"That's a nice change of pace," Daruk muttered as he sat down to watch her.

"Yes. I figured I should leave them alone." Mipha continued stirring the contents of the pot.

"If only they always worked together this well…"

"Maybe one day," Urbosa responded. Though their relationship had remained static, Link appeared to be improving. He was still largely quiet, but he was far more emotive than he used to be. Over the past few days, he had smiled more often, talked just a little bit more, and had even taken to spending more time with Midna, either through hunting or "playing." She wasn't entirely sure how repeatedly tackling or being tackled by a blue wolf was healthy for his mental state, but if that was what it took, then she wouldn't complain.

Revali, for his part, wasn't quite as standoffish. The normally sharp-tongued Rito had lost some of his bite over the past few days. His compliments, still few and far between, had also become remarkably less backhanded and were more sincere than they had been in the past. When she had noticed the budding behavior, the Gerudo Champion had tried to cultivate it by giving Revali a little bit more praise when she noticed, to which he responded with pride. Again, she wasn't sure why he felt the need to preen himself whenever she or Daruk gave him positive feedback, but if it brought him further into the fold, then she was more than willing acknowledge him.

She could only hope that the individual improvements would lead to improvements between the two younger Champions.

"You got everything you need?" Daruk asked as Mipha carefully spooned the contents of the pot into a bottle.

"Unfortunately, I am not as prepared as I would like, but I'm afraid it can't be helped at this point," she sighed. The Zora Princess held up her elixir for Daruk to see. "I made this for you. It should help if you are hurt again."

"Thanks," Daruk replied with a grin.

Mipha smiled as she took a few steps back from the fire and settled on the ground. Despite her normally reserved nature, something about the way she stared into the fire worried Urbosa.

In truth, the Zora Champion had been her largest concern over the past few days. Ever since she and Link had returned from the Library, the younger woman had been reading the works that the monk had given them almost obsessively. The Gerudo had been forced to take the Slate from her on more than one occasion because Mipha wouldn't pay attention to her surroundings and would continuously trip. A part of her wondered darkly if she would find it humorous when the little Zora fell into a hole because she wasn't watching. Even so, Mipha's near obsession with the Slate was only part of the problem.

When she didn't have the Slate in her hands, the Zora had taken to getting lost in her thoughts. In that state, she was almost as oblivious as she was when she was staring at the Sheikah Slate. The two eldest Champions had been forced to pull her aside in an attempt to discern exactly what was going on with her. It was then that Mipha had told them about a hero she had been reading up on who had somehow stopped the moon from falling; however, Urbosa had noticed how the young Princess had continually pursed her lips during the conversation. Something about the story had intrigued her so much that she was becoming distant from reality, and whatever it was, she knew that Daruk and Urbosa would not approve.

It was something she planned to discuss with Mipha at length over the next couple of days.

"If we ever run into Hestu again, we need another one of those stupid pouches," Revali grumbled as he joined them. He dropped a pack unceremoniously and sat down, staring just as deep into the fire as Mipha

"We haven't exactly been looking for those seeds of his, though," Daruk muttered thoughtfully.

"Wasn't Link the only one who could see him anyway? He needs to find more."

"He has a point," Urbosa replied quickly as Daruk opened his mouth to respond. Though Revali's voice had taken on a dangerous edge, she had to admit that the Rito had made a valid statement. None of them had been able to see Hestu or even hear his voice. Link was the only one who was able to interact with them in any capacity. Link would just have to start searching again. "Speaking of, where is Link?"

"He and Midna went hunting a while ago. Apparently, he wants to make a special meal tonight."

"Special?"

"Do I look like I know what that means?"

"it means that he'll cook everyone's favorite, or at least what he thinks is your favorite," Mipha inserted quietly. "Oh! I should clean this!" she exclaimed as she quickly removed the pot from the fire and rushed away. Her urgency probably had something to do with how upset Link had been the last time she had used the cooking pot to make an elixir for Daruk. Urbosa grinned playfully as the Zora Champion nearly fell as the pot collided with her legs.

* * *

Link gasped as he broke the surface of the water with salmon in hand. Midna backed away from him as he threw himself on the shore, throwing water everywhere as he did so. Fishing with his bare hands reminded him of simpler times in the Domain. Often, he and Sidon would have competitions to see who could catch the most fish.

Those had been happier times.

He tried to shake himself dry, but it was to no avail. Resigning to a wet walk, Link tied up the fish and hung them on his belt along with some boar meat they had acquired for Urbosa. After they were secured, he placed his hands on a boulder and began pushing it. Thankfully, Naydra's blessing had given him a significant boost in strength and stamina. He imagined he was still lacking much of his power, but still, the improvement was extraordinary. Behind him, Midna was carrying a small package of poultry with her teeth.

Link wasn't entirely sure of his choices, but it was the best he could do with so little time and knowledge. He just hoped that they would suffice.

As the Hylian continued heaving against the stone, his mind traveled back to his childhood home. Since the group's visit to the rebuilt town, he had regained a few more trivial memories. Most of them involved him and Owen either getting in trouble with their pranks or going on what felt like giant adventures just outside the town. It had been on one of those excursions they had first encountered a Zora.

Kodah, his first friend among the aquatic species, had gotten lost on her first fishing trip with her father. The currents of the river had been just a little too strong and she had been swept away, finally washing ashore far away from any landmarks she knew. Luckily, Link and Owen had been nearby and had quickly offered to bring her to the village while she waited for her father.

Even within the safety of the Hylian settlement, the Zora girl had been scared. Even his normally gentle mother had found it difficult to calm Kodah. Until she had given her some nicely cooked fish with hot chocolate. Not long after, Kodah had lost her nerves and had eagerly played with Link and Owen until her panic-stricken father had finally found them hours later.

After the incident, Kodah would come to play with them every few weeks as her father was worried about losing her again. Of course, there had been a few times where some of the villagers tried to have her banned because of her involvement in Link and Owen's mischief, but his mother wouldn't hear of it. If her son was allowed to stay in spite of the trouble he raised, then the Zora should be allowed to stay as well. And so, he and Kodah became close friends.

He thought it was interesting how one little meeting was what had guided him to Zora's Domain after Ordon had been razed. Had he and Owen never found Kodah, he may have made an attempt to find Daruk on Death Mountain, which would have surely resulted in his death. He wondered distantly if that had been Hylia's intervention or random chance. The more he thought about it, the more certain he became that it was the Goddess who had arranged that particular event. It led to the Domain, which led to Mipha, who would later become a fellow Champion. He saw no other explanation.

He was roused from his musings as the sounds of his friends' chatter reached him.

"What is he doing now?"

"I believe Mipha said that he would be cooking our favorites. Perhaps you could help him carry it all rather than asking pointless questions."

"He seems to be managing just fine," Revali replied snidely.

"Don't worry, I'll help the Little Guy out." Link felt the ground shake as Daruk approached. "Hey Little Guy, I'll take this for ya," Daruk said as he hefted the stone up.

"Thanks," Link replied gratefully. He straightened as he and Daruk made their way back to the campfire slowly.

"So, Little Guy, why're you going all out with the cooking tonight?"

"I thought it might help… everyone's been on edge all day. Maybe some food will help."

"Food, huh?" Daruk responded thoughtfully. "Great thinkin! Food does help to solve just about any problem."

Link grinned as he nodded. Food, to him, was the universal problem solver… well, that and tackling his pet wolf. He chuckled to himself as he thought back to his and Midna's "play dates." There wasn't a whole lot of variety, but there was something soothing about rolling around in the dirt.

"So, hunting went well I see," Urbosa commented as he held up his various catches for them to see. "While I'm glad that you are an excellent fisher, I hope you realize that I don't care for fish."

Link responded by proffering the boar meat.

"Much better. I presume you're going to make that steak that I like."

Link nodded, his grin growing larger. He looked at Mipha and motioned with the salmon. She gave him a large smile.

"Well at least three of us are getting what we like," Revali grumbled.

"Rice balls with chicken?" Link asked as he held up the poultry.

"…" Revali folded his wings and looked away. "…fine," he muttered. Link hid his prideful grin as he set everything down and got to work. It was nice to know that his choices were, at a minimum, acceptable to even the most disagreeable of them.

"Here, I can help," Mipha murmured as she knelt next to him. He studied her for a minute before handing her some rice. He had meant to cook all alone as it was his favorite pastime but cooking with a friend sounded interesting. Maybe it would be better.

He considered having her prepare the salmon as she had grown up with them her entire life, but he quickly decided against it. Having her prepare her own food would defeat the purpose.

He filled his pot up with water and placed it over the fire. "Here," he murmured as he handed her the rice, "pour this in and stir it occasionally. When it starts boiling up with the water, you'll know it's close to being done. Make sure you try it first." Mipha nodded and began watching the pot, stirring every so often.

Content that Mipha could handle the rice, Link turned to start another fire. Once it was burning hot, he skewered the poultry and set it above the open blaze.

"You just turn the spit, right?" Urbosa asked as she took the skewer in her hands.

"…"

"You know you can't do this all on your own. Even you will mess someone's up."

"Turn it continuously, otherwise it won't cook evenly."

"I think I can manage that," the Gerudo Champion replied. Link continued watching for a second as she turned the wooden piece in her hand. He was impressed that without having to say anything, she maintained a slow, consistent speed. He wouldn't have to worry about it for a while.

The Hylian Champion built yet another fire. While he was waiting for the infant flames to reach maturity, he turned to the salmon he had caught and begun removing the fins.

"Certainly not a glamorous job, but I suppose somebody has to do it," he heard Revali grumble over his shoulder. The Rito Champion joined him on the ground and watched as Link expertly cut along the spine and peeled off the meat. He then quickly and carefully removed the pin bones from the filet he had created. "So, this requires attention to detail?" Revali mused quietly. "I suppose it's more suited to me than turning a chunk of meat like some sort of savage. I've got this from here," he muttered as he waved Link off.

Link stepped back uncertainly. Revali's attention to detail was unmatched by anyone else. That trait was what made him such an excellent archer; however, that didn't mean he would make a good cook, especially if he didn't care for the people he was cooking for.

He turned back to his third fire to find Daruk already turning the boar meat. "I figured if everybody else was helping, I could too."

"Thanks," Link replied with a wince. The Goron wasn't turning it correctly. He stepped forward and showed Daruk how to properly turn it.

"Oh… oops," Daruk said as he shrugged apologetically.

"It's okay. I think Urbosa would only hit you with one lightning bolt."

"You think so?"

"Yep," Link replied with a grin.

"Oh great," Daruk mumbled. "Well, Little Guy, it was nice knowing you."

"You too." Link gave his companion a smart salute before turning back to check on Mipha. The Zora Champion was still stirring.

"How is it?" he asked as he hovered over her.

"I think it needs just a few more minutes." Even though Mipha continued tending to the rice, Link couldn't shake the impression that she was nervous for some reason. She kept shifting around and refused to make eye contact with him. He finally succumbed to the awkwardness of the moment and left her side.

"I think it's almost done." Link was pleased with the beautiful golden color that the chicken had taken on. He wondered idly if she had done this before. Urbosa looked up at him and raised a brow as she continued spinning the spit.

"You realize she wants your approval, right?" Urbosa asked quietly.

"What?"

"The reason Mipha is nervous is that you, an excellent cook, are going to be the judge of her efforts."

"The rice is for Revali." He didn't understand why Mipha would want his approval if she wasn't even cooking for him.

"After it gets your approval unless of course, you were planning on feeding it to Feathers without trying it yourself."

"Even if it isn't right, we can just fix it quick."

"You're missing the point. She doesn't care about whether Revali likes it, she's worried about whether you like it," Urbosa stated pointedly.

"Why?"

"Because you're a glutton." He still wasn't getting it. Yes, he liked food, but he wasn't sure why that would affect Mipha.

"… I don't get."

"You're hopeless," the Gerudo sighed. "While you're here, will you check this?"

Link nodded and cut a small portion of the chicken open. He found no traces of pink inside the roasted bird.

"Looks good"

"Good. Now, when you check on Mipha again, tell her the same even if, " she continued, holding up a hand to stop him when he opened his mouth, "it's not."

"All right." He didn't like the idea of giving Revali something that was potentially awful but Urbosa wasn't leaving him much choice.

"If it isn't, then 'accidentally' drop it or something. You'll be able to remake it that way," she said as though she had read his mind. Sometimes, she made him uncomfortable with the way she could pinpoint what people were thinking. "Now," she continued as she removed the chicken from over the fire, "what's next?"

"Shred it."

"Shred it?"

Link quickly showed her how to shred the burning hot bird with a pair of tools. Urbosa took the tools from him and began replicating his actions, albeit with far less panache than he had.

"Link," Mipha called, "I think the rice is done."

The Hylian, now beginning to feel slightly frazzled, rejoined the Zora and tried some of the rice. To his immense relief, it was properly cooked. He would have added a bit more salt, but overall, he was pleased with the results.

"That's good," he murmured quietly. Had Urbosa not informed him of Mipha's desire to please him, he probably would have missed the relieved smile that played across her face. Together, the two dumped the pot out into a crudely constructed colander Link had crafted one night. They would need to let it set before they could start forming it into balls.

He had no time to try and decipher its meaning as Daruk called him over in a blind panic. Link took a deep, calming breath, and steadied his quickly fraying nerves as he went to help the Goron.

"I'm sorry, Little Guy. I promise I was doing the best I could," Daruk mumbled as Link quickly pulled the boar meat off the fire with a wince. The outside had burned in the short time he had been away. He quickly pulled out a knife and began to quickly remove the burned portions. Even though the outside layer had been ruined, that didn't mean the rest couldn't be used. He then cut through to find that the deeper layers looked slightly overcooked. He took a small sample and tried it hesitantly, hoping that the taste of burnt meat would elude him. Thankfully, it did.

"Good job."

"Really? But I burned it," Daruk protested.

Link showed him the inside.

"Is that what it's supposed to look like?"

"Yep. Only the outside was inedible."

"Thank goodness!" Daruk muttered as he drew a hand across his forehead. He plopped down on the ground, looking even more exhausted than Link felt.

The Hylian Champion wasn't sure how to respond. A part of him felt responsible for Goron's unneeded stressor. He should have given Daruk more instruction or kept a closer eye on the Goron's project. On the other hand, it was, as much as he hated to admit it, somewhat entertaining to see the Goron freaking out over food. Then again, Daruk was really the only other person that understood the value of a proper meal. This was serious business for them both.

"My, I would almost think you had never done anything like this before," Revali commented snidely as he presented a platter of fillets to Link. The Hylian Champion began inspecting each fillet closely as Revali continued, "as you can see, I possess talents that could put even your own to sh- " the Rito froze midsentence as Link removed a single pin bone from one the fillets, set it aside, and continued his inspection, missing how the Rito's face had tightened defensively. The fillets were inconsistent sizes, though he was the only one who would notice seeing how close they were. Aside from that and the single bone, there was nothing else that he could see wrong.

"I'm impressed," Link murmured. Revali stared back at him, blinking dumbly as Link took the platter from him and began laying the fish neatly into a pan that he had bought from a traveling merchant. Daruk had expressed concern when he had spent a significant portion of their money on proper cooking supplies, but Urbosa had pulled him aside and convinced him to let it go. He wasn't sure why the Gerudo had sided with him, but he wasn't about to complain.

With the fish sizzling in a satisfying manner, Link turned back to the rice and showed Mipha how to roll the rice into a ball and then make a well. When he was satisfied with her efforts, he moved on to Urbosa, showing the woman how to fill the chicken into the well and wrap it with Hyrule herbs to hold it all together.

Link, feeling confident that the two women could handle the rice balls on their own, moved on to cutting the boar meat.

"Hey, the fish is starting to peel away from the pan," Revali called as Link was in the middle of slicing.

"Flip them," he ordered as he continued cutting carefully. He didn't like the idea of having someone handle anything without first showing them how to do it; however, he hadn't been lying when he had told Revali he had been impressed with the Rito's first attempt at cutting a fillet from a fish. He would just have to trust Revali's judgment and skill.

Link placed the freshly cut steak on a plate and finished it off by placing some extra rice beside it. As he was finishing with the dish's seasoning, Revali pulled the fillets out of the skillet and placed them neatly on another plate while the girls finished arranging the rice balls nicely.

They all stepped back and looked at their work. Link quietly conceded that even though it was rough around the edges, it had gone far better than he had been anticipating. He actually wasn't dreading trying the salmon that Revali had prepared.

"Hey, uh… are we gonna keep staring, or can we eat now?" Everyone started laughing as Daruk's stomach growled audibly.

Link stepped forward and carefully picked up the fish and motioned for Mipha to join him. The two sat together, sharing the fillets between them as they watched the others retrieve their own food and settle in.

"Thanks for the steak, Big Guy."

"No problem… I think. Thanks, Link!"

"Yes, thank you," Mipha added quietly as she bit into her second fillet. Link nodded around his fourth or fifth. He had already lost count. "How is yours, Revali."

"Passable," Revali muttered just before he took another bite. Mipha and Urbosa exchanged a glance, during which time the older woman winked at the younger. Mipha giggled quietly and nodded.

"Fish is good," Link said as he grabbed yet another and crammed it into his mouth.

"Will you slow down," Mipha complained quietly. "At this rate, I'll only have two."

"Sorry," Link muttered, "it's good, though."

Link caught a small smile playing at the edges of Revali's beak which quickly disappeared when the Rito noticed his glance. The group continued eating in silence, each enjoying their plate of food.

"Ah," Daruk sighed, patting his belly as he sat back, "that was good."

"So," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully, "what's for dessert?"

"Dessert?" Daruk asked.

"Yes, dessert. So, what do you have Link?"

"…"

"I could help if you'd like."

"No!" Link replied quickly. He knew what the sly smile that was growing on her face meant, but he wasn't inclined to care. He didn't think his heart could take any more.

* * *

The path up Death Mountain was a little too long and winding for Daruk's taste. All he wanted was to reach Goron City, get whatever info he and Link needed, and then reclaim Vah Rudania. He wanted to avoid recognition at all costs.

His line of thinking was simple: go to the place, do what needed to be done, take five minutes, then move on. It was simple, relatively easy, and left little time for him to wonder about what-ifs. He wasn't against thinking about the unknown, it just wasn't for him. Now, though, he couldn't stop thinking about what he might learn on Death Mountain.

What kind of life had he led before? He assumed that being named the Goron Champion had made him important, but had there been anything else setting him apart? Did he have friends that were still around? Any family?

He stopped the train of thought when it reached family. In all likelihood, he didn't have any family left. It didn't take someone with Urbosa's smarts to realize that he was well past his prime. At best he might have a grandchild or great-grandchild who wouldn't even know him. He snorted to himself. He should know better than to dwell on things that –

"Look out!" Daruk snapped back to reality in time to see a massive, stony fist the second before it crashed into him. The Goron, ordinarily unmovable, tried to process the fever dream he must have been in. There should not have been a monster alive that could do that to him.

Stars danced in his eyes as he crawled out the newest crater on the trail. He shook his head, trying to displace the errant stars as he returned to his feet quickly.

Looming over him was a gigantic boulder that was almost shaped like a torso. Smaller stones were connected haphazardly to form arms and legs. The lopsided Talus launched another strike, it's arms extending towards the Goron at massive speed.

Daruk threw up his protective barrier, grunting slightly as he felt the stones shatter against the nearly impregnable shield. He shrugged off the wave of tiredness that tried to bowl him over and straightened, cracking his neck as the Talus fell over.

What looked to be small, baby Taluses surrounded the Goron's feet. They were called Pebblits. With a few short stomps and one, well-placed kick, he destroyed them all. Daruk sent a quick glance around, searching for Link as the Talus returned to its feet. It looked as though the Hylian's sword had snapped, leaving him with only his shield. That didn't explain why he was using his shield to bash the creatures into oblivion rather than quickly pulling another weapon out.

Daruk had to trust that the Little Guy could take care of himself as the Talus slammed itself down on its side and wobbled back to its feet with a new arm to replace the one it had lost. Daruk, completely unfazed by the Talus' size, charged forward. The Talus wobbled towards him in response.

"Don't you know I eat rocks!" Daruk roared with a laugh as he ducked under a punch and slammed into one of its legs, completely destroying the appendage. The Talus, already struggling to maintain balance, once again fell flat.

Daruk laughed heartily as he pounded his fists into the creature, but no matter how much power he put into his strikes, the body remained undamaged. Not the slightest crack marred the rough stone. Daruk growled in frustration as he tried to hold the Talus down. This thing was really starting to annoy him.

For the second time that day, Daruk found himself flying through the air as the Talus pushed itself up quickly and for the second time that day, Daruk crashed into the earth painfully. He again pulled himself out of a newly formed crater and decided on a different tactic. If his fists wouldn't work, then his large, edgeless sword would have to do. Link sidled up to him as the Goron hefted his Cobble Crusher.

"Can you knock it down again?" the Hylian asked, not tearing his eyes away from the stone creature.

"Of course I can!"

"And can you boost me onto its back?"

"What're you thinkin, Little Guy?"

"I saw a crack on its back. I think we can break it from there."

"You got something stronger than that shield. Another sword? A bomb?"

"I've got a better idea," Link replied.

"All right! Let's do this!" Daruk barreled towards the Talus, activating his shield to block a punch. Again, the Talus' arm shattered, but it managed to stay on its feet. The Goron Champion continued his charge, swinging his massive blade into their opponent's legs, destroying both. Thankfully, it fell towards them. Daruk crouched down and cupped his hands in front of him. Link quickly climbed onto the Goron's hand and was promptly launched onto the Talus' back. Daruk took a couple steps back, trying to see what Link was doing.

The Hylian pulled something with a harsh white glow out of his pouch and rammed it into the Talus' back and quickly set his shield over it. He then curled up. Before Daruk could even question Link's antics, there was an explosion that sent the Hylian flying high into the air.

Daruk sprinted after, doing his best to stay under the falling Hylian. The Goron stopped and kicked himself as Link pulled out his paraglider and began descending safely. Daruk grinned and waved at his diminutive companion. For some reason, Link didn't grin back. In fact, it sounded like he was trying to shout something. That was when he noticed the shadow.

Daruk curled and rolled out of the way as something flew past where his head had been. He felt the shockwaves travel through the ground as he continued rolling, finally coming to a stop a safe distance away.

Daruk laughed as he saw the cracks that spiderwebbed across the Talus' main body. Now, this was something he could fight. He sprinted towards the creature who had become distracted by Link as the Hylian continued to descend. Daruk swung his weapon over his shoulder and brought it down with a mighty crack, shattering a significant portion of the creature's body.

Daruk looked up at Link to see the Hylian falling with his shield in hand. Link, falling far faster than was safe, rammed the edge of his shield into a large crack near the top of the Talus. The strength of the blow cleaved through the inanimate stone, destroying another chunk of the body.

The Talus shivered and fell, the small stones that made up its arms and legs rolling away now that there was nothing binding them together. What was left of the main body lay motionless before them, but even so, Daruk and Link stood side by side with their weapons ready.

"Why are you only using the shield, Little Guy?" Daruk panted after they were finally convinced that the monster was indeed dead.

"When I pulled out my sword, it was warped. I think the heat destroyed the tempering on the blade, so it broke as soon as I hit a pebblit."

"Shouldn't the shield have the same problem?"

In answer, Link held the elegant shield up for him to see. To Daruk's surprise, there wasn't even a scratch on the blue, emblemized surface. Though he was not nearly as sensitive to temperatures as the others, he still put a finger on it. The shield, to his great surprise, was cool to the touch.

"What is this thing?"

"I don't know," Link murmured quietly as he placed the shield firmly on his back.

"Do you have any other weapons that can take the heat?"

"I don't think so."

"Well, then we need to find you something quick."

Link nodded with a sigh as the two warriors sent a quick glance around before continuing on their way.

* * *

Mipha fidgeted uncomfortably as she felt Urbosa's eyes on her. Normally by this point in the day, she would be lost deep in her thoughts, but today was different. Ever since they had woken up that morning, the Gerudo Champion had been giving her searching looks. For as much comfort as the motherly woman could provide, she certainly balanced it with her ability to make the subject of her attention anxious.

Mipha wished that Revali had chosen to stay with them rather than flying ahead to find leads on the next dragon. She wished that Link and Daruk were still there to give Urbosa others to pay attention to. She would even be content if the woman would just say what was on her mind. Anything would be better than the unbearable silence.

"You know, there's a question I've been meaning to ask you. Now that it's just the two of us, I think it's the perfect time."

"I suppose," Mipha replied timidly. The tone in Urbosa's voice was already telling her that this was not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"Ever since you and Link returned from the library, you've had your face stuck in the Slate. When you're not focused on the Slate, you're so lost in your own thoughts that a Lynel could sneak up on you from the front. What's going on with you?"

Mipha sincerely wished that they could return to the silence. "The Sheikah monk gave us several books that interested me."

"They must be truly interesting." Mipha knew that Urbosa was expecting more. She hoped that she had learned enough in her years of watching her father wade through political waters to give Urbosa just enough to satisfy her without giving everything away.

"They are. The idea that a hero could fight the moon is- "

"Fascinating. Yes, the question is what you aren't telling me."

"What I'm not telling you?"

"The last time you told me about this, you kept pursing your lips. What about this story interests you so much?"

"Well, this hero used transmogrification to help him. There are no other heroes in recorded history who have done that."

"Let's pretend I don't know what transmogrification is," Urbosa said neutrally.

"It's… it's the ability for one to transform from one race into another."

"So," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully as a finger traced her chin, "transmogrification could be something like a Zora becoming a Hylian, or vice versa?"

"Y-yes, I suppose."

"Mipha, I am going to ask you something, and I want you to answer me honestly."

"Yes?" The Zora Champion tried to manage the uncomfortable pit that was growing in her stomach. No matter how hard she tried, it kept growing.

"Is there any part of you that is hoping that if you were a Hylian, maybe Link would have chosen differently?"

"Um… well… yes." She should have known better than to think that Urbosa would be satisfied with anything less than the truth. "I know that it wouldn't really change anything, but… the idea was nice."

Urbosa was silent for the longest time before she finally spoke. "Remember when I told you that eventually, his decision would have to be okay?"

"Yes," Mipha replied sadly.

"Now is the time that it has to be okay. There is a chance that you two can get back to where you were, or close to it. He may even change his mind one day if you are still open to the idea. Right now though, it has to be okay so that you both can grow up a little bit."

"I… I see."

"I don't think you do yet," Urbosa sighed. "I'm not your mother, so I can't tell you what to do, but I still need you to promise me that you won't go doing anything rash."

"I know. Hyrule is still depending on us." She hated to admit it, but a small part of her was frustrated that her duty to the Kingdom conflicted with what she wanted. Even so, she knew what had to come first. It was time to let go of her childish dreams.

"Not just that," Urbosa murmured as her arm wrapped around the Zora, "but you are important to me. I would hate to see you get hurt."

"I promise," Mipha murmured. "And you are important to me too." Mipha smiled as the two walked on in companionable silence. She was surprised at how much lighter she felt. It was as though her chest could finally expand the way it was meant to for the first time in weeks.

"Goodness," Urbosa said suddenly. "I never thought you had it in you to be this persistent. You were rejected and yet here you are, finding new ways to try again. Tell me, what is your secret?"

Mipha stared down at the ground, her face heating up as Urbosa's laugh rang through their surroundings

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when you watch Hell's Kitchen while writing fanfiction.


	18. A Bard Named Kass

Revali shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The Woodland Stable was much more crowded than the previous stables he had been to. The vast amount of Hylians that surrounded him made him feel extraordinarily self-conscious and he couldn't shake the impression that they were all staring at him and judging him. He hadn't caught any of them giving him anything more than a passing glance, the one exception being the only other Rito in the stable. For some reason, the large, round-faced Rito with bright, cheery feathers had been staring at him and Mipha, who sat next to him quietly.

"Mipha," he muttered, trying to catch the Zora's attention. She didn't notice. "Mipha!" he snapped quietly as he shook her.

"What?" she asked quickly as she snapped back to reality.

"I think that there's someone wat- "

"Excuse me," a soft, musical voice interrupted pleasantly. "I was hoping that I could take a moment of your time."

"What?" Revali was already fingering one of his arrows. While the Rito was too close for a bow, that didn't mean an arrow couldn't still be used.

"I wished to say that I did not mean to offend you with my staring," the stranger said, unfazed by Revali's hostility. "You both bear a striking resemblance to the Champions of legend." The stranger closed his eyes as Revali and Mipha exchanged a quick glance. The Rito Champion was extraordinarily glad that Urbosa had suggested they remove their Champions' scarves. "Yes," he finally decided as his eyes snapped open and focused on Mipha, "you look exactly like the statue that was constructed in honor of the Lady Mipha."

"Yes" Urbosa replied easily as she slid into the seat next to Mipha, "we noticed the same thing on our visit to Zora's Domain."

"Ah," he replied happily, "I see that you are travelers as well!"

"We are." Revali kept his beak closed, deciding instead to let Urbosa do all the talking. "If I had to guess, you aren't any ordinary traveler, are you?"

"Very perceptive," the Rito nodded approvingly. "My name is Kass. I am a traveling bard. I left my home to follow in my teacher's footsteps and learn all of the legends of Hyrule."

"Well met, Kass. You may call me Fi." The Rito and Zora Champions exchanged another glance. Revali didn't consider himself to be pious by any stretch of the imagination but taking the name that Hylia had disguised herself with seemed dangerously close to disrespect.

Revali and Mipha were not the only ones that had been thrown off by "Fi's" introduction. Kass blinked at Urbosa a few times before he recovered with an excitable smile.

"So, Kass, would you happen to know anything about the three dragons?"

Revali frowned at Urbosa's question. She had gone to speak to several of the bar's patrons in order to obtain information on the dragons. Why was she asking Kass?

"The three dragons?" Kass tilted his head in thought. "Well, there is Naydra, Dinraal, and Farosh. Each protects a region of Hyrule that contains one of the springs dedicated to the Goddess. Here in the Eldin region, you'll be searching for Dinraal."

"Who said we were searching for any of them?" Revali asked indifferently.

"Ah… I see she didn't tell you," Kass murmured worriedly.

"She?"

"On my travels, I met a strange, hooded woman wearing a white gown. She asked me to help some friends of hers. When I asked how I would know who her friends were, she replied that I would know when I met a woman who called herself Fi."

"I see." Revali watched with interest as Urbosa's face tightened considerably. Kass was visibly unsettled by the Gerudo Champion's display of anger

"How did she ask you to help us?" Mipha asked quickly.

"She wished for me to tell you about the dragons and answer any other questions you may have to the best of my ability."

"Questions like what?" Urbosa sighed.

"My teacher was a member of the sheikah and also a court poet for the royal family of Hyrule. He knew much of the histories of this land and he also traveled in the company of Princess Zelda and, on some rare occasions, the other Champions as well. He passed along many stories of that time. He absolutely glowed when he told me of them." Kass smiled wistfully as he closed his eyes, likely remembering his mentor fondly.

"I can see he meant a lot to you," Mipha replied kindly.

"Yes. It has been a long time since he passed, but I still miss him."

"I'm sorry. Loss is never easy, and some days it feels even more crushing than when you first lost a loved one."

"Thank you, Lady Mipha. You truly possess the kindness that my mentor sang of."

All three of the Champions started at Kass' words. Each of them glanced at the others, trying to decide how to respond to the colorful Rito.

"So, you know who we are?" Revali saw his own suspicion reflected in the Gerudo's face.

"I do."

"How did you know?" Revali could tell that Mipha's mouth was dry just from the sound of her voice.

"The statue in Zora's Domain does you justice," Kass replied with a smile.

"I-I see."

"Can we get back to the matter at hand?" Urbosa asked curtly.

"Ah, yes. Dinraal is a spirit of fire, said to guard the Eldin and Tabantha regions since ancient times. I can't say much else, other than that you should take every precaution you can if you intend to find Dinraal."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I saw him the other night as I was making my way here. He – "

"Oi! Are you gonna keep us waiting all night?!" Kass flinched and turned quickly to see the head of the Stable glaring at them.

"Ah! My apologies! I have a deal with that man. I play for his customers, he gives me a room. We'll have to pick this up later." Kass was already getting to his feet while pulling his strange instrument with him.

"What do you make of him?" Revali asked as they watched the bard take his place on a small stage and begin playing his instrument. He stretched it and compressed the device, sometimes compressing the top more than the bottom. At other times, he wouldn't compress it all the way, all the while pushing buttons on the side. Kass was oddly dignified as he played what Revali would have considered an inelegant instrument.

"I think he is sincere," Mipha replied as she watched the bard play. The Zora Champion began swaying slightly in time with the music.

"You're not even paying attention," Revali sighed.

"I agree with her," Urbosa murmured as she stared after the bard.

"Why?"

"Because I do," Urbosa replied shortly.

"So, we're going to trust him?"

"If we're wrong, you can put an arrow through him… and you can say 'I told you so.'"

"Can I get that in writing?"

"Don't push your luck."

* * *

"We're not gonna harm ya, we promise!" Daruk said quickly as he gestured placatingly with his hands. "We're just on our way to Goron City."

Link frowned at the Group of Gorons that surrounded Daruk and himself. They had wandered into the mining facility unobtrusively; however, their reception had ranged from disbelief to outright hostility. They had quickly been surrounded by the miners, all of them brandishing sledgehammers, drills, or their fists. The Hylian felt rather small even though the largest Goron was standing by his side.

"How do we know yer bein honest?"

"Well… we haven't attacked ya yet?" Daruk replied.

Link wished that Daruk had made a firmer response rather than like a question. It didn't bode well for them that the best they could do was give unsure answers.

"You might just be waitin for that blasted machine of yers to show up and finish us for you."

Link and Daruk exchanged a glance before responding. It seemed that their hosts already knew who they were, or at least, who Daruk was. "Why would I have Rudania attack ya?"

"Because ya can't do it yerself!" another shouted. "Yer just an angry ghost who wants revenge for not gettin a proper burial!"

"I'm not a ghost!"

"Prove it!" the leader, a Goron who was far darker than any of the other miners there, shouted.

"Uh…"

"You'd already be dead," Link said firmly.

"Whaddya mean?"

"If Daruk was a ghost, he could have brought the Divine Beast and killed you all before even speaking to you." Link had no idea whether or not his claim was even remotely true. He had a vague memory of Mipha attempting to explain her bond with Ruta, but he had never really understood what she was talking about. He only hoped that a simplistic explanation would be enough for them.

"That's a good point," one of them relented as some of them began lowering their weapons uncertainly.

"Could still be lyin," the leader growled as he brandished his sledgehammer again, causing the others to do the same.

"Punch me," Daruk interrupted.

"What?"

"Punch me!" the Goron Champion barked.

"Why?"

"If I'm a ghost, you won't be able to hit me. If I'm not a ghost, then I'll be feelin in the morning," Daruk continued as a slight taunt entered his voice, "that is if you can punch like a real brother."

Link frowned at Daruk's suggestion. He hoped his companion knew what he was doing.

"You sure that's how you wanna prove it?"

Daruk pounded his chest in response.

The leader of the mines, having nothing more to say, approached the Goron Champion. He wound back his fist threw it in Daruk's face. The Champion made no move to defend himself as the fist collided with his face, resulting in a resounding crack. Daruk reeled back slightly and grinned.

"Is that what you call punch? Hit me like you mean it, brother!"

The Goron wound back again, this time punching Daruk even harder. This time, the massive Goron stumbled back a few steps, throwing his arms out to stabilize himself.

"Ha! Now that's how ya throw a punch!"

"Brother!" the leader cried out as he went in and gave Daruk a massive hug.

"Brother!" rang out many voices as the Gorons that surrounded them rushed forward with outstretched arms. Link nearly had a heart attack as he began weaving between the miners, trying to avoid being crushed. There were several close calls as Link was forced to duck and dodge as Gorons crashed into each other in their chaotic scramble.

The Hylian Champion, after having reached relative safety, turned to watch the group hug that had occurred. He grinned slightly as he watched Daruk, beaming the largest he had in a long time, begin slapping some of his brothers on the back, sending a couple of them reeling. Watching them made his own back throb mildly, but he managed to ignore it.

"Hey! Where's the other brother?" one of them asked. Link looked for somewhere to hide as they spotted. "Brother!" they all cried again as they rushed towards him. A part of him wondered if he'd go down in legend as the Champion who died in a group hug. How inspiring.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Daruk shouted causing all of them to stumble to a halt. "Be careful! The Little Guy may be strong, but you'll break him if ya aren't careful!"

"Ohhhh! Sorry, brother!"

Link let out a deep breath as he waved off the apology. The Goron's approached at a much slower pace and each took the time to gingerly greet him. If it had come from any of the other races, Link may have been insulted by the almost condescending deliberateness with which they treated him, but something about the Gorons was just too genuine for him to take offense. They were sincerely trying to not accidentally injure him.

After they had been thoroughly greeted, a process that Link found to be exhausting, the duo was brought to a large room covered in mats. They were sat down, and not long later large rock roasts were rolled in front of them.

"Thanks!" Daruk said excitedly as he instantly brought the roast up to his face and dug in. Link watched with some interest, feeling his own stomach rumbling as he watched the Goron Champion tear through his meal with gusto.

"Do you not like rock roasts, brother?" one of the Gorons asked him worriedly.

"Can't eat them," Link replied simply as he reached into his pouch and removed some of the extra steaks from the night before. He began chewing on the tough cut, mildly dissatisfied by the lack of warmth and tenderness. He continued eating, despite his distaste. Food was food, and he had a feeling that he would have to take whatever he could get while on the mountain.

"You gonna eat that, Little Guy?" Daruk asked as he pointed towards the rock roast that still sat in front of him. Link shook his head and rolled it over in the Goron's direction. "You're the best!" Daruk rumbled as he began tearing into his second helping.

"Brother, why did ya set yer machine on us?" the lead miner asked as he sat in front of the duo.

"Whaddya talkin about?" Daruk asked around a mouthful.

"Fer the past few weeks, your beast thingy keeps attackin Goron City. Thankfully, the Elder and Yunobo have been able to protect the city, but the Elder is gettin old. I'm not sure how much fight he's got left in him."

Daruk frowned in consternation as he set his roast down. "It's not me. Somehow, Ganon managed to steal Rudania from me, but not for much longer," Daruk continued as his usual confidence returned. "The Little Guy and I came to take Rudania back!"

"You can do that?"

"Of course! I didn't come here just to be crushed like some little pebble!"

"Ha! My Pa always told me stories about the Almighty Daruk and his Boulder Breaker!" Suddenly, the Goron leaned forward as he lowered his voice, "is it true that you used the weapon to burrow through the mountain?"

"I don't know," Daruk sighed. "I lost my memories."

"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that, brother," the miner replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, at least I have a delicious rock roast!" Daruk responded as he picked his roast back up and began crunching through it again.

Link grinned at his companion as he finished off his own meager meal. He appreciated how easy it was to cheer up Daruk when compared to the others. Something as simple and good as food was all it took. He could understand that.

After they had both finished and exchanged a few stories with their hosts, they were shown to a side room in the cave. The room was plain compared to the rest of the rooms they had seen, with no decorations and sparse lighting. Aside from a single indention in the ground that glowed with heat, and a mat at the other side of the room, there was nothing else of note.

"I had this place readied for ya while ya ate. It's not much, but I think ya should be comfortable." With that, the miner turned away and began ambling away.

"Well, Little Guy, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. I'm gonna turn in."

Link nodded absently. He was distracted by a large dip in the temperature. The fireproof elixir he had taken had dulled his sense of heat. The fact that he could now feel the temperature passively meant that his surroundings were no longer dangerously hot, or at least, that's what he thought. He experimentally pulled a wooden bow and set it on the ground, watching it carefully. After a few minutes, he picked it back up. The instrument could barely be considered warm. Link sighed in relief as he realized that his equipment wouldn't spontaneously combust in the room.

After Link's experiment was completed, the two settled down, Daruk curling up in the small, heated pit, while Link lay down on the mat, using one of his spare tunics as a pillow. It was nowhere near comfortable, but he was too exhausted to care. He tossed and turned long after Daruk's quiet snores started, eventually winding up lying flat on his back staring up at the uneven ceiling above him.

As he lay there, unable to sleep, he began contemplating the last few weeks, particularly his last meaningful conversation with Mipha. He hadn't devoted much thought as to what his future would hold as he was largely trying to avoid the uncomfortable thoughts of the unknown. His past, whatever it was, made him less uneasy. At least there was some certainty there, even if it wasn't much. But what certainty was there in the future.

His hand dug around in his pouch unconsciously as he pulled out a familiar, scaly piece of armor. He wasn't sure why he had grabbed the Zora armor as he held it above him, watching as the meager light danced along the dark hues. Absently, he wondered how the cuts that Waterblight had made had been fixed, but quickly decided it must have been one of the enchantments Dorephan had mentioned.

He still hadn't told Mipha that he had it. He wasn't sure he should. The last thing he wanted to do was confuse her more than he already had. It wasn't fair to make her wait while he wallowed in indecision. At the same time, he couldn't stop himself from entertaining the possibilities of accepting the gift.

If he did accept, he would become a member of the Zora royal family. Sidon would be his brother-in-law and Dorephan his father-in-law, which appealed to him greatly. From the little bits he could recall of his past, he remembered enjoying the time he spent with Sidon, whether that was being outclassed in swimming or pretending to lose a duel for the sake of the Prince's enjoyment.

The idea of being related to the King also struck a chord with him. While many of the Domain's citizens had welcomed him, none had done so quite as warmly as King Dorephan. Somehow, the King was capable of acknowledging his Hylian origins without allowing it to impact his judgment of Link. Dorephan had treated him no different than the citizens of the Domain, something for which the Hylian Champion couldn't quite express his gratitude.

Finally, his thoughts turned to Mipha herself. The emotions he felt were complicated. On one hand, he worried about whether or not he could even make her happy. He was at least self-aware enough to know that he was ill-equipped to understand matters of the heart, and while he could understand most of her cues, he still had to acknowledge that he had been completely oblivious to her feelings. That was to say nothing of the fact that if he did marry her, he would grow old and decrepit long before she even reached middle age. She would be a young widow.

On the other hand, he wouldn't deny the connection he felt with her. While he had a unique bond with each of his fellow Champions, none of them matched what he had with her. She knew when he needed to talk and never forced him to open up. When he did finally choose to speak, she was always willing to listen to what he had to say. It was… nice to know that someone was there when he needed them.

He also wouldn't deny the fact that she was pretty. It wasn't overly important, but it did help.

He sighed as he folded it back up carefully and replaced it in his satchel. He still didn't feel comfortable accepting it, especially since he didn't know what the Zora Princess saw in him. He frowned thoughtfully as a potential solution struck him.

He reached back into the pouch and removed another item he had been gifted with in Zora's Domain. Link held Mipha's diary lightly as though it may bite him if he made any wrong gesture. Snooping through her diary was not the ideal solution, but maybe it would at least give him a glimpse of what went through her mind.

Link grit his teeth as he guiltily opened her diary. He hoped she would forgive him after she was done running him through with her trident.

* * *

"May I ask you something, Lady Mipha?"

The Zora Princess looked over to Kass, who, oddly enough, had been sticking close to her since they had left the stable that morning. Then again, Urbosa and Revali had been particularly cold towards the traveling bard, something that upset Mipha greatly. The brightly feathered Rito was sweet and considerate. Considering her only other experience with the race of anthropomorphic birds was Revali, it was a refreshing change of pace.

"You do not need to get my permission to ask a question," Mipha replied with a smile. Admittedly, she was grateful that the Rito was starting a conversation. Ever since she had woken up to find that Midna had disappeared, she had found herself unable to relax as she kept a close eye on her surroundings. This was the first time the wolf had wandered off on her own that she could recall and, even though Midna did not care for her as she did Link, the young Zora still hated the thought that something had happened.

"Thank you," Kass said with a smile; however, it quickly faded. "From what I know of my studies of Master Revali and his diary, he has always been a bit cold to others. What confuses me is Lady Urbosa. In my studies, I have never seen evidence for that kind of attitude."

"I think… I think it may something to do with the… woman that asked you to help us." Mipha had devoted a significant amount of thought to Urbosa's mood swings. The way that she had become upset when Mipha had mentioned praying to Hylia. That same anger had cropped back up when Kass had mentioned the hooded woman. She began to suspect that Urbosa bore the Goddess some hard feelings.

"Did something happen between the two? I don't mean to pry, I just wish to refrain from offending her further."

"I believe so," Mipha replied sadly.

"Hmm… May I ask who she is? How you know her?"

"… We traveled with her for a short time. I fear that Urbosa may hold something against her."

"I see. It would be best for me to keep my head down, then?"

"I think so. She won't harm you, but that does not mean that she will be entirely pleasant with you. What you told us about Dinraal probably only added to her stresses."

"I did not mean to add to her troubles," Kass murmured as he tilted his head and closed his eyes.

"I know that we have already asked this over and over, but can you tell me what you saw with Dinraal one last time?" Though she had already heard it more than once, Mipha still felt her heartbeat quicken.

"As I was flying here, I witnessed Dinraal flying by for the first time in decades. I do not know why, but he was covered with large purple splotches that almost looked like eyes…"

"Did they have stalks, like they were growing off of the body?"

"No. They were set in the dragon's scales. It looked like there were purple veins growing from them and burrowing into his skin.

"…" Mipha's mouth dried as she tried to form a mental image of what Kass had told her. Naydra's ailment had been disturbing enough as it was. To think that it could progress to the extent where Ganon's malice sunk into the body was terrifying to her.

"Perhaps we should discuss something else for the time being," Kass said kindly.

"Maybe we should." Mipha wasn't worried about the audible relief in her voice. "I have been meaning to ask if you know any legends. I was reading about one, but now that I cannot, I feel the urge to learn about another one."

"Legends?" Kass questioned. He tilted his head in thought before he finally nodded firmly. "I would imagine that you are at least somewhat familiar with the legends of Hyrule, so I will not bore you with them. I am, however, familiar with another tale."

"What kind?" Mipha asked, her interest already piqued.

"There once was Prince, fair and kind, who was set to inherit a small kingdom. One day his kingdom was betrayed by another that they had been allied with, forcing the young Prince into exile. Alone with only a few loyal knights, the Prince bided his time, vowing that one day he would reclaim his homeland."

"For two long years, the Prince lay in wait before his asylum was attacked. The Prince, raising his sword, dealt the first blow in his counterattack. With the Princess of the land by his side, he and his few knights pushed back the invaders, repaying his debt to the land. With the Prince's mission complete, he and his knights packed their belongings onto ships and declared war on the empire that had formed."

"Though the Prince had naught but a few knights to follow him, this would be no bar to his goal, for his compassion for his fellow man drew others to his cause. Under his banner gathered warriors of every nation and race, creating an army that none could stop. Emboldened by the allies that rallied to him, the Prince led his army to fight a god in dragon's form."

"Wielding a blade made from the Divine Dragon's fang, he slew the god, thus ending the war that had haunted him and his people. With his quest complete, the Prince returned home a hero to his people; however, this would not be the end of the of his woes, for there was another war just on the horizon, and this was to be far harder on the young Prince's heart- "

"As much as I love hearing about meaningless history lessons, there are more important things to worry about," Revali interrupted. It took all Mipha had not to snap at him. He may not be interested in the legends of old, but she certainly was.

"I apologize," Kass murmured.

"You're here for one reason, and that isn't to distract her with trivial details."

"Reva- "

"I understand," Kass replied evenly, cutting Mipha off. "I apologize for my lapse in judgment."

"Hmph!" Revali turned on his heel and quickened his pace to catch up with Urbosa, once again leaving Kass and Mipha alone.

"I'm sorry about that," the Zora Princess said as she continued on, her spirits subdued.

"There is no need to apologize," Kass replied, unperturbed by Revali's attitude. "Besides, I'll find a way to finish the story later," he finished with a wink.

The Zora Champion favored him with a small smile as Midna returned. "Thank goodness you're back," she muttered as she quickly checked the wolf over, "I was beginning to worry that something had happened." She frowned as Midna rolled her eyes.

"May I ask why you are accompanied by a wolf?"

"Link and I found her not long after we woke up. Her leg had been crushed and she had been abandoned. After Link helped me to heal her, she started following us around. Eventually, we named her Midna and accepted her as one of us."

"Link? As in the Hylian Champion?"

"Yes."

"He is among your party?"

"Yes?"

"Ah! What a relief!" Mipha giggled as Kass bounced up and down a little. It made him look as though he were hopping up and down in the middle of his stride. "I hope that he will be willing to listen to my teacher's song."

"Hmm?"

"After the Great Calamity, my teacher began working on his greatest work yet. He called it 'The Champions' Ballad.' He had little evidence that any of you would survive, but he hoped that someday those of you who did survive would hear it and be inspired by it."

"That was very kind of him. I am sure that Link and Daruk would more than happy to hear it."

"The Goron Champion has survived as well?!"

"Yes." Mipha suffered from a giggling fit as the Bard once again began bouncing up and down with excitement. It had seemed that her assumption that all Rito's would err on the side of unpleasantness was erroneous.

* * *

Daruk stared up at the gate leading into Goron City. He wasn't about to admit it again, but the idea of learning about his past was making it hard to breathe. He wasn't scared, he just wasn't sure that learning about the past was worth it.

"You okay?" Link asked as he waited patiently beside him. Strapped to his back was a sledgehammer almost as big as he was. It hadn't been the Hylian's first choice, but it was all the miners had.

"Fine," Daruk replied curtly. He winced internally at how that had sounded. "Sorry, Little Guy wasn't trying to be rude. I'm just… I'm just…" he let out a frustrated sigh as tried to find some way of saying that he wasn't feeling as confident. He figured Link already knew, but the Little Guy deserved some sort of answer.

"You're just having an off day," Link murmured.

"Yeah! I'm just having an off day!" Daruk was relieved that he didn't have to admit what was wrong with him. He was supposed to be strong, immovable. The idea that something that couldn't hurt him had him paralyzed with fear was humiliating. Almost as bad as being afraid of dogs had been…

Almost.

"I've been having an off day too."

"You have?" Daruk knew he was no Urbosa when it came to discerning the emotional states of those around him, but he figured he would have noticed something off with Link. Instead, the Hylian had seemed to his usual self. Then again, he was really good at keeping his feelings under wraps.

"Yeah." Link was silent for a long moment, so long that Daruk was about to prompt him to continue. "I've been thinking about the future. What comes after the Calamity. It's… uncomfortable."

"Whaddya mean?"

"Right now, we have a job to do and we know what we need to do finish that job. What about when the job is finished? What am I supposed to do then?" Daruk frowned thoughtfully as he thought about the Hylian's questions. That was something that he hadn't thought about either. "I guess the idea of having to find a new purpose is…"

"Giving you an off day." Daruk finished for him.

Link nodded gratefully as they both looked back up at the sign above them. "I suppose there's only one thing you can do when you're having an off day."

"What's that?"

"Just keep going." He didn't like the sound of that. As much as he understood that entering the city was the best way to get the information they needed, the idea of going ahead put him on the verge of panic. During their time in the mines, he had learned that he had been the chief of the Gorons during the time of the Great Calamity. Knowing that he couldn't help but wonder what kind of situation he had left them in.

The miners had assured him that Goron City was prospering in spite of the looming threat but had that always been so? Could he live with the guilt if he found out that he was responsible for them falling on hard times as a result of his failures?

"What if we just skipped going into the city and went straight for Rudania, you know? We could save time and all that." He didn't like the way Link was looking at him like he knew exactly what was going through the Goron's mind.

"Do you think we could find Rudania in time?"

"It's bigger than I am. I think we could find it, no problem."

"You know… Mipha was also worried about getting her memories back."

"What? But why would she- I mean, I'm not worried about getting my memories back!" It bothered him that he had been found out so easily. Both Link and Urbosa had been able to figure him out in the time it would have taken Revali to shoot five arrows. Next to no time at all.

"… remember what I told you when you visited Ordon?"

"Everybody's scared of something."

"Yep." Link said nothing more as he stared up at the Goron Champion expectantly.

"I still think we should head straight for Rudania."

Link sighed as he walked behind Daruk and set his hands on the Goron's back. Daruk frowned in confusion as he tried to figure out what Link was up to. Suddenly, the Hylian gave him a massive push, causing Daruk to stumble forward slightly.

"Whaddya doin, Little Guy?" he asked as Link pushed again, this time not letting up.

" _Let's make a deal," Link strained to get out as he continued heaving against Daruk, slowly pushing the Goron further into the entrance, "you face your fears and I'll face mine!"_

* * *

" _I don't know, Little Guy, maybe the Princess didn't choose the right Goron," Daruk sighed as he looked at the unresponsive behemoth before them. Apparently, the machine had shown signs of waking up when he had said something to it, but that had been once. It had since fallen dormant._

It had become a habit of Link's to stop by Goron City every once and a while when he was on break from his training, which had only become more intense in recent years. It probably didn't help that he had that fancy sword on his back now.

The Goron chieftain hated to admit it, but he had become increasingly worried about Link as time had gone on. He had always been such an excitable kid, but now he was lucky if he got a word out him. He supposed it had something to do with being a knight, especially the Princess' own appointed knight. He had seen the two together just once, but it had been enough for him to see that Link was not in a good situation. The Hylian Princess was a real jerk to him.

He had suggested that maybe he try talking to her. Sometimes opening up a bit could help ease tense relationships. The young man just shook his head and refused to say anything else on the matter. All he could do was hope that something changed before he was officially appointed.

Link shook his head.

"But I can't get it to wake up. Wasn't that little Zora girl able to control hers pretty easily?"

The Hylian Champion nodded then motioned towards the Divine Beast.

"I've already tried talkin to him and he won't listen. I don't think gettin on board will make much difference." It was a real jab at his pride as a Goron that he couldn't get Rudania to listen. He felt that, as a Goron, it was his duty to stand in front of his future comrades and take the beating they couldn't. The fact that he couldn't even wake up his own Divine Beast had him convinced that he the others would wind up protecting him. That left a bad taste in his mouth.

Link just shrugged and motioned again.

"Nah. Let's just get back to the city. After all, I wanna talk to your friend as well."

Link frowned at him before it quickly morphed into a grin. He quickly set himself behind the Goron and heaved against him. Daruk stumbled forward dazedly as he finally witnessed just how strong Link was. He didn't even have the opportunity to dig in his heels as the Hylian kept pushing him forward. "Let's make a deal," he rasped, "you talk to the Divine Beast and I'll talk to the Princess."

Link completely disregarded the rest of Daruk's protest as he pushed Daruk into the Divine Beast. Once there, Daruk sighed in resignation and continued on of his own volition. There was no point in trying to argue when Link had already gotten them both there.

The two Champion climbed through the darkened machine, reaching the top of the Beast shortly after. Though their time in the pitch-black machine had been brief, Daruk wasn't prepared for the harsh sunlight that greeted him as he and Link stumbled onto Rudania's back.

"So… what now?"

Link shrugged.

Daruk frowned as he looked at the Divine Beast he was standing on. He had no idea how in Din's name he was supposed to get the thing moving. He was supposed to talk to it, but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say.

"He, uh… partner. Let's get moving," He finally called. He waited for some response. Anything at all that would tell him the Divine Beast had heard his call. There was nothing.

He turned to Link, who motioned for him to try again.

"Come on, get up."

Again, there was nothing.

He was annoyed with Rudania's lack of respect. At least his brothers would acknowledge him when he spoke even if they didn't like what he had to say. Rudania wasn't even giving him the time of day. "Kick the stones off yer feet and get up!" he barked.

Both Champions stumbled as the Divine Beast jerked beneath. Rudania roared in a way that satisfied Daruk as it raised itself up from its laying position.

"Now that's more like it!" Daruk laughed as he leaned down to pat the beast's back. Rudania groaned in response. "Hey, don't get lippy with me."

His grin widened as he heard Link chuckling behind him.

Daruk's chest puffed out with pride as he stood atop Rudania. He had finally got the thing to listen. Maybe he wouldn't be so helpless in the future.

" _We should celebrate!" he called to Link. A good rock roast sounded heavenly to him right now, and he couldn't come up with a reason not to indulge just a little. Besides, it would be his opportunity to introduce Link and Owen to some real food. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" he shouted as Rudania lurched forward as it began barreling across the mountainous terrain. "Rudania! Rudania! Oi! Don't ignore me! Rudania, where are we going?!"_

_Maybe a feast wasn't in order just yet._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you didn't think I was going to tell this story without Kass. That would just be asinine.


	19. Like You Mean it!

Urbosa clenched her jaw as she debated whether or not she wanted to speak her mind to the Rito who sat before her. While she didn't exactly have a problem with Kass, she did have a problem with who sent him.

Kass watched her patiently, not prompting her to speak despite the fact that she had said nothing since she had pulled him aside.

"It would seem that I owe you an apology," Urbosa finally muttered as she set a hand on her hip. "Even though I am upset, you aren't the problem. It isn't fair to treat you like you are. I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry as well," Kass replied, all the sincerity in the world reflected in his voice. "It was not my intent to add to your burdens."

Both nodded to each other as silence came to dominate their surroundings. Even the few trees and blades of grass had quieted themselves, as though in anticipation of what was to come.

"What do you know of the woman who sent you?" Urbosa finally asked. She had been caught in an internal conflict, attempting to figure out whether or not it was a question she wanted the answer to.

"I can't say that I know much. She didn't even show her face to me."

"…She's Hylia." Urbosa expected some sort of show of disbelief. A shake of the head, a dropping of the beak, she would have even accepted a widening of his eyes. Instead, he cocked his head to the side thoughtfully and finally nodded after a moment.

"Yes, that makes sense," Kass decided.

"How so?"

"She has a… way about her. It's not exactly different from most, but almost like she's more herself, I suppose."

"I see." She didn't really but she wasn't inclined to care either. Her main concern was making sure the Rito understood exactly the predicament that Hylia had landed him in. "Be that as it may, she and I are not on especially good terms right now."

"Ah," Kass replied thoughtfully. "I do not mean to pry, but would it have anything to do with Zelda? My teacher used to talk about how she struggled to use her sealing magic and, as I understand it, those powers stem from the Goddess."

"Yes," Urbosa replied curtly. "Tell me something; if she is a true goddess, shouldn't she be able to handle Ganon herself? Why force children to shoulder the weight of the world?"

Kass wasn't at all bothered by her hostility as he closed his eyes for a time. "I don't mean to be rude, but if she took care of the Calamity herself, what purpose would you have? What purpose would the other Champions have?"

"I'm sure that there are plenty of other things we could have done."

"I'm sure, but what if fighting it was exactly what you all needed?"

"How can this be what any of them needed?" Urbosa growled threateningly as her eyes narrowed.

"I have had the pleasure of meeting many amazing people on my journeys. There were some who have suffered blindness their entire lives, some who struggled to feed their families, and others still who had lost everything, including loved ones, in attacks. The one thing they all shared in common was that they didn't run from the hardship. Instead, they accepted it and let it change them into someone better."

"So what? I'm just supposed to accept it all?"

"I can't tell you what to do. I can only tell you of what I have seen and heard."

"So, assuming I do accept this, what is this 'grand revelation' that I'll receive?" She was nowhere near ready to roll over and let things happen, but she was also quickly realizing just how few choices were left to her. She needed to weigh them carefully.

"I don't know," Kass replied simply.

The Gerudo Champion sighed and shook her head. She should have known better than to expect a simple bard to have all the answers she sought. Still, though, her conversation with the Rito had been enlightening if nothing else.

The conflicted feelings that she had been carrying since Mount Lanayru had abated some but were still present. Kass' words, however, had given her a new perspective on the matter. As little as she liked the situation they were currently in, she couldn't deny that there may have been some truth to his words.

"I'm sorry. I should know better than to make light of such things."

"Stop," Urbosa muttered as she began rubbing her temple. "I just need to stop thinking about this for a little bit."

"If it is a distraction you need, I may have just the thing."

"A story?" The Gerudo Champion was not much one for stories, having better things to do than spend her time getting lost in another world. That being said, she did need something to take her mind off her current troubles and Kass, by virtue of career, was likely well versed in the art of taking people's minds off their worries.

"Indeed."

"Well come on then," Urbosa replied as she motioned for him to follow her back to the camp. She figured her other two companions could use a distraction as well. If nothing else, Mipha would likely ask him to repeat it so she could hear it for herself. Urbosa would just save Kass the trouble of telling it twice. "So, tell me; what is this story about?"

"It is called the Superstar Saga. It is the whimsical tale of two brothers who embark on a quest to save a Princess from a dark sorceress."

"You're not going to finish the one you were telling Mipha the other day?"

"I thought you all may appreciate a more lighthearted tale."

"I won't argue with that logic." There had been a sort of tenseness lately, especially with Mipha and Revali. She hadn't believed Daruk when he had told her about how worried the Rito Champion had been the first time they had split up. Now she knew better.

The Rito had taken to pacing back and forth, constantly looking towards Death Mountain, and taking to the skies on needless scouting trips. He had also been sticking abnormally close to her since the group had split up. He didn't say much, he just walked beside her, dangerously close to sulking.

Mipha hid her anxiety better; however, it wasn't that difficult for Urbosa to see. Even from her current distance from the camp, she could see the little Zora practicing with her trident. While it wasn't necessarily unusual for her to train, she didn't typically train with the same intensity she was now.

"Hey, you two," she said as she and Kass made it into the camp, "get over here."

"Is something wrong?" Mipha asked as she lowered her trident.

"Yes. Sit down"

"What is so important that you have to call us over here?" Revali grumbled as he sat down next to Mipha.

"Kass is going to entertain us with a story."

"You can't be serious."

Midna growled at Revali as he tried to get to his feet.

"What's your problem?"

"I think she expects you to join us," Urbosa replied dryly.

"Whatever," Revali grumbled as he settled back down. With that, Kass began his story.

* * *

Link had awakened early in the morning, deciding to read more of Mipha's diary while he waited for Daruk. He still felt a little guilty about the action; however, it was tempered by the new understanding he had gained for the Zora Princess.

While she had spoken of her inability to make new friends easily, he had never realized how much of a toll it had taken on her. Mipha had written several times about her struggles to connect with the other children in the Domain. If and when she did finally manage, it seemed that Muzu would interrupt and isolate her once again. It was something that she struggled with on a near daily basis and, had it not been for her mother, she may have given in to despair long before the two of them met.

"Whatcha readin there, Little Guy?"

Link snapped the diary closed quickly. He hadn't expected Daruk to be awake so soon. It had taken Mipha the better part of two days before she had recovered from the barrage of memories enough to get out of bed. Daruk had apparently done it in one night.

"Uh… you okay?" the Goron asked as Link quickly shoved Mipha's diary in the ever-present satchel.

"Fine," Link voiced quietly. "You?"

"Never better! You ready to get a move on and find Rudania?"

Link nodded, only letting a frown through when Daruk turned his back momentarily. He expected some sort of difference in the Goron's behavior, not more of the same.

Link watched as Daruk cracked his neck and hefted his new weapon. Like his old weapon, it was a large, dull sword just much, much bigger. The Boulder Breaker, his signature weapon, was to cobble crushers what claymores were to one-handed swords.

"So, let's go find Bludo and see if this Yunobo guy has come back yet." The current Chieftain, Bludo, had sent Yunobo off to retrieve some painkillers for him. Bludo had taken note of the slight rumbling that had started the night before and knew that Rudania would be returning soon. He had intended to handle the Beast himself; unfortunately, his back had started acting up, severely limiting his movement.

Yunobo was another concern of Link's. The Chieftain had informed them that Yunobo was a descendant of Daruk's, yet the Goron Champion appeared unphased by the news. Link wasn't really sure what the proper response to such news should be, but he was certain that a lack of surprise wasn't it.

The Hylian Champion analyzed the haphazardly organized arrangement of ramshackle houses that made up the city. There were no doors, allowing him to see the spacious, one-roomed shacks that the Gorons called home. There were few tables and little to no decoration. While he could live with the simplicity, it was the lack of privacy that would drive him mad.

He stepped carefully along the semi-metallic, semi-stone walkways that had fallen deep into disrepair, trying not to fall into one of the pools of lava that speckled the City. The fireproof elixirs he had been taking protected him from the extreme temperatures, but he wasn't at all tempted to test their limits with lava.

Link sidestepped quickly as a diminutive Goron nearly bowled him over as it rolled along the path. A muffled "sorry brother!" was the only acknowledgment he received as the little one rolled away. He exchanged a quick glance with Daruk before shrugging and continuing on.

"Bludo!" Daruk called suddenly as the Chieftain came into view. Even though he was only facing the opposite way, the hunchbacked Goron had to hobble to face them. He scratched at his cheek, just below his eyepatch as his other hand waved at them. The motion was brief as his back contorted oddly, bringing a grimace to his face.

"Lord Daruk!" Bludo had been insistent on attaching the title despite the Champion's objections.

"So, are we ready to find Rudania?"

"Not yet," Bludo replied gruffly, "Yunobo still hasn't come from the Northern Mines… I'm startin ta worry. He's usually fast about it."

"We'll just have ta find him then."

Link's eyes flicked back and forth between the two Gorons, finding Daruk's drawl mildly humorous. He had never been the finest spokesman among the Champions, but now his speech patterns had regressed. Link wasn't really bothered so long as he could understand what was being said.

"Are you sure thas a good idea? I think the two of ya could handle Rudania yerselves." According to Bludo, Yunobo struggled with cowardice. The only way to get him to help was if Bludo dragged him along kicking and screaming.

Daruk had been upset when he heard that.

"No," Daruk replied firmly, "he's comin with us."

"I think that'll be good for him."

Link was relieved that a decision had finally been reached. There had been quite a bit of indecision regarding Yunobo but now that they had made up their minds, it was time to get moving.

"Good," Daruk replied. "Now, where are the Northern Mines?"

"Uh…" Bludo and Link exchanged a glance. He was glad that the Chieftain agreed with him that the question was an odd one. "Follow that path there," he said as he gestured over his shoulder with a thumb.

"All right! We'll be back soon."

Link followed Daruk, frowning at his friend's back as they made their way up the slow, winding incline. While Daruk was easily the most stable of the Champions, the Hylian had been expecting some sort of reaction to his homecoming. Instead, Daruk was his usual jovial self.

"You okay, Little Guy? Yer lookin at me like I stole yer favorite Sirloin Rock."

"… Do you remember anything?"

"Not a thing!" Daruk replied with a chuckle. "Well, that's not exactly true. There are a couple things here and there, but mostly no."

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"Nope." Link stopped at Daruk's response. Since he had learned about his past, he had felt an almost unconscious drive to remember everything that he could. He couldn't understand how the Goron Champion wasn't the least bit concerned.

"Uh, you okay?"

"I just don't understand," Link replied quietly.

"Hmm." Daruk stroked his beard as he looked ahead for a minute, motioning for Link to start moving with him again. "Think about it like this; you, Revali, and Mipha are young yet. You three are still tryin ta figure out who ya are, and maybe ya need yer memories for that."

Link agreed so far. Even though Mipha and Revali were in actuality just a few years younger than Daruk and Urbosa, they matured far more slowly. They had only really aged about as much as Link had in his short life. That aside, he wasn't sure what their ages had to do with anything.

"I was worried about rememberin yesterday, but then I started thinkin… I know who I am, and I don't need any memories to tell me what I already know. I could remember being a great Chief, or being the strongest Goron, but why? I already know everything I need to, so why not worry about what's goin on right now?"

"…I see."

"Good!" Daruk frowned as the winding path brought them to their destination. Ahead of them was a large lake of lava spotted with narrow spires of rock that rose from beneath the liquid stone. "How are we supposed to get across that?"

* * *

Revali stared straight ahead, trying his best to focus on Death Mountain while keeping Kass out of his line of sight. It wasn't that he disliked the Rito, he just felt extremely uncomfortable. Something about the Rito's wide shoulders, height, colorful feathers, and deep voice made him feel off. Since Kass had come around, he felt much more irritable. He wasn't entirely sure why he was aggravated at the only other member of his race that he had met, but he was.

It didn't help that Mipha had found it hilarious when she thought he was trying to lower his voice. He had denied it of course, but secretly, he had hoped it would help him feel better. It hadn't, so instead, he chose to ignore Kass entirely.

Revali stopped when Urbosa called for a break. He was about to pull his bow out and begin tuning it when Urbosa pulled him aside. The Gerudo Champion led him away from the others, far out of their sight.

"Stand right there," she muttered as she pointed to the ground in front of her.

"What?"

"Stand," she repeated.

"Will you –"

"Now!"

"Fine," Revali growled as he stood in front of her. Urbosa looked him up and down as she stepped around him. "What are you doing?"

"Shoulders back."

"Wha - "

"Shoulders back!"

He didn't really know what she was talking about. He had always kept his shoulders in line for as long as he could remember, but he tried to comply. He straightened his shoulders as much as he could.

"You've always rounded your shoulders just a bit, but it's been worse the past few days," Urbosa muttered as she continued looking him over. She stepped forward and began straightening his tunic. Then, she took her hands and ran them up along the top of his head, fluffing his feathers. She then cupped her hands around his beak, much to his discomfort, and ran her palms along his face, pushing those feathers down. "Look," she said as she pointed towards a nearby pond.

Revali stepped over cautiously and peered at himself, his eyes widening at what he saw. He had never considered the effect that straightening the feathers on his face would have. He did try to keep them in order and well preened, but he had never thought about forcing them flat against his face. It made his face look much less soft and round, giving him a much more angular look instead. He liked it.

"You're a Champion of Hyrule, at least act like that means something to you," Urbosa muttered as she straightened his tunic one last time.

"I never knew you cared so much," he said scornfully. Though her attention and efforts meant a great deal to him, he was unwilling to show it. For some odd reason, the idea of letting her know how much her approval meant to him was terrifying to him. He'd much rather internalize it, where only he could degrade himself for acting like a child wanting to please his mother.

"I do, and you should too. Now for heaven's sake, walk back like a warrior and not a sulking child."

The Gerudo Champion left him alone to continue staring at his reflection, giving him time to ponder what was wrong with him. He was one of them in his own right, so why was he so pleased when he got approval from any of them. He even felt the soaring feeling when Link acknowledged him, and that caused him no end of turmoil.

"Revali!" Urbosa shouted.

"I'll come back when I'm – "

"Dinraal!"

Revali crouched low and flung himself into the sky, riding the turbulent winds he had created high above the ground. He hung suspended for a moment as he caught his first glimpse of Dinraal. The dragon looked much like Naydra, except he had a white mane with bleached scales. Fiery red glared from in between the scales, giving one the impression that he was aflame. The Rito assumed that was what Dinraal was supposed to look like under the enormous purple splotches that covered the dragon's body like sores. At the center of each were the giant eyes Kass had warned them about.

Revali tensed as Dinraal's giant eyes fixated on him. The dragon let loose an earth-shattering roar that bounced around inside the Rito Champion's skull, causing his vision to swim. He shook his head, readied his bow, and began flapping towards the dragon as quick as he could.

Revali was feeling relatively optimistic. Near the end of the battle with Naydra, he had figured out how to properly account for the winds that the dragon had created. All he had to do now was apply that knowledge quickly and efficiently, all without a blasted mountain in the way as well. It was something he was confident he could do himself.

The optimism he felt only lasted until the first burst of flame assaulted him. He quickly pulled his wings and dove, spiraling as he did so. Using his innate sense of direction, he pulled up, opening his wings as he came out of his spiral to regain control.

Dinraal had already adjusted his flight path and was on his tail again. Revali, ready for the dragon this time, flew headlong into the behemoth. As Dinraal opened his maw again, the Rito Champion smirked, ready to alter his course. What he lacked in size and raw power, he could make up for with superior maneuverability and skill.

The flames came once again. Just before they fried the Rito, he tipped his right wing down, causing him to veer out of the way sharply. Dinraal's head whipped by him as he nocked his first arrow and let loose just before the first demonic eye passed him.

Revali continued firing at every eye that was within range. It took all of the speed and concentration he could muster, but he knew that he had hit every mark without needing to confirm it visually. He congratulated himself on a job well done. At that rate, he would only need one or two more passes before Dinraal would be free.

He looked over his shoulder and very nearly lost control of his flight. None of the eyes that he had embedded with arrows had died. His stomach dropped from beneath him as he caught sight of the tail end of the last arrow he fired harmlessly sinking into an eye. The malignant appendage swiveled to focus on him, the pupil contracting as it found him.

Suddenly, Dinraal had turned around again and was charging towards him, howling its rage at him. Revali's mind raced to find some sort of solution to the problem he faced. He highly doubted that fire arrows or ice arrows would do anything to a creature that size. Shock arrows might have worked, but he wasn't sure if the eyes, now sunken into the dragon's flesh, would conduct the electricity inwards, frying the Guardian Spirit from the inside. The only option that struck him as remotely feasible was bomb arrows. He assumed that the thick scales would protect the dragon from the worst of the explosion. The only problem was that he had no way to light the fuse.

Thinking quickly, Revali pulled up sharply, flying straight up. He kept an eye on the dragon as it began ascending straight up towards him. As Dinraal opened his maw to once again spit fire, the Rito Champion reoriented himself so that he was belly up and gave one last flap, forcing his body towards the ground. He curled up, pulling his bow and talons close.

As he hurtled past Dinraal, he scraped his talons against the metal of his bow, trying to catch the sparks he created on the bomb arrow. He felt his heart soar as he was finally rewarded with the sound of a hissing fuse. He opened back up and fired the arrow, realizing too late that he was too close. He was blinded as the concussive force of the blast blew him away, shattering his bow in the process.

The Rito fought to regain control as he tumbled chaotically through the air. Nausea reared its head as the land and sky flipped its way through his still sensitive vision. He gave up trying to stop his tumble, choosing instead to give into it. As he picked up momentum, he gave one large twist, throwing his wings wide. He grunted as his wings finally caught the air, jerking his shoulders painfully. Though it had nearly torn his wings off, he was glad that the world was no longer spinning.

His relief was short lived as another ear deafening roar shook the air around him. He dove, searching the ground below for any place that would offer any protection from the dragon.

The land below him was unbroken, rocky terrain, only marred by a few cracks that he wouldn't be able to fit into. Far off to the west was a river, but even if he could reach it before Dinraal caught him, he would likely drown below the surface. Panic began creeping its way through his veins as he saw no haven and exhaustion was overtaking him.

It wasn't until he spotted a familiar head of scarlet hair bobbing below him that hope resurged. He angled back towards her, doing his best to get within the Gerudo Champion's range before Dinraal burned him alive.

He felt a sharp pain across his back, scorching his already singed feathers. A resounding crack split the air as Dinraal screamed, rage and pain echoing in the large voice. Revali collapsed to the ground as he heard another crack followed by another roar.

It seemed that an eternity had passed before he finally had the energy to make a start on getting to his feet. His legs felt like jelly and black spots filled his vision as he wobbled, for once grateful when he felt Urbosa's steadying hand.

"Dinraal," he gasped out, "I couldn- I couldn't," A small part of him was upset that he couldn't even manage one sentence, but it was as though it were far away, trying to shout over an infinite distance.

"I know," Urbosa replied quietly, "I couldn't do anything either. We need to get you to Mipha."

"But I coul- " He didn't even know what he was trying to say anymore, only that Urbosa needed to hear it. Much to his frustration, he couldn't get enough air into his lungs to get it out.

"It's all right," Urbosa said comfortingly as she threw his wing over her shoulder. "Let's get you somewhere safe, then you can tell me."

Revali wasn't sure how much time passed, or how long he and Urbosa had been walking, or if they had actually been walking at all. He thought that at some point his feet had felt the ground fall away. He wasn't really sure anymore as the colors and shapes all blended into an incomprehensible blur.

All he was sure of was that he had just failed.

* * *

"Whooooah!" Daruk yelled as he felt the bomb explode and launch him through the air. Thankfully, he had the foresight to use his magic barrier before Link had detonated the bomb. He was even more grateful as he slammed into one of the stone spires. He could tell by the sharp decrease in energy that it would have been a painful landing without the shield.

He got to his feet to find Link standing next to another cannon.

"Not another one," he groaned as he joined Link.

The Hylian grinned at him as he heaved against the machine, causing it to rotate.

"Whatcha doin, Little Guy?"

"I think that's where Yunobo is," he replied as he pointed towards another spire. Daruk squinted, just making out a shack on the top of it.

"How do you know?" Daruk asked as he continued looking for whatever hint Link had seen.

"It's the only building around here and it's blocked. Would explain why he hasn't come back yet."

"it's blocked?"

"Yep."

"All right, if you're sure."

Link dropped a spherical bomb into the cannon's launching mechanism. Daruk then curled up and let Link clamber on top of him.

"Ready!" Link called.

The Goron Champion sprang open, launching Link high into the air. He didn't sit and watch to make sure Link made it to his destination safely. Instead, he climbed into the cannon and curled up again, waiting for his friend to detonate the bomb he had dropped.

Daruk began to wonder whether or not Link had made it safely when the bomb exploded, sending him flying high. He briefly wondered why Revali loved flying so much. It was a painful start and a painful end with a lurching stomach in between. There was nothing to love as far as he could see.

The Goron's senses were overloaded as he felt something crumble around him and heard panicked shouting. He unrolled, shaking his head in an attempt to dislodge the stars in his eyes.

"I'm under attack! I'm under attack! Help!"

"Hey," Daruk groaned as he got to his feet, "do you mind keeping it down?"

"Lord Daruk?!"

"Yep," he muttered as his vision finally cleared enough for him to see a very awed Goron hunched in front of him.

"It's a ghost! A ghost!"

"Hey! Enough of that," he rumbled as he slapped his hand down forcefully on his shoulder. "Stand still and let me get a good look at ya." The Goron was still quite young, not even having developed facial hair yet. Even so, he was quite large. By the time he was done growing, he would probably tower over his brethren. "Hmm," Daruk hummed approvingly, "you must be Yunobo, right?"

"Y-yes." Daruk frowned at Yunobo's response. It lacked the conviction that he had been expecting. He held up a hand as Yunobo opened his mouth to say something else.

"Stop. Answer like a brother," Daruk ordered. Before anything else, he wanted his grandson to answer with gusto.

"Y- " the quiver in Yunobo's voice irked him.

"Like you mean it!"

"Yes!"

"There ya go!" Daruk exclaimed as he slapped the Goron's back. "So, Yunobo, I hear yer my grandson."

"Yes!"

Daruk frowned as he eyed Yunobo. His grandson was visibly shaking and his response had been far too quick and loud.

"Calm down would ya? It's not like I'm gonna hurt ya."

"O-okay."

The Goron Champion sighed. He had heard that his grandson would need some work, but he hadn't realized just how much work Yunobo would need. He was beginning to think that he had found the wrong Yunobo. There was no way he could be related.

"Look, I hear that my old toy, Rudania, is givin you guys a hard time. The Little Guy and I need yer help to get him back. Think you can manage?"

"Uh- I- "

"Like you mean it," Daruk interrupted warningly.

"Yes!"

"All right then! Let's get moving!" Daruk turned back to face the way they had come, only to find that there was no way back. "Uh…" He hadn't noticed before that there wasn't a cannon on this particular outcropping. He wished that they had at least considered that before they had gone flying across the flooded mines.

"I… uh- I usually roll through the lava," Yunobo said quickly.

"You what?"

"W-well, I uh… "

"Enough of the quiverin! You're part of a proud line of Goron's, start showin it!"

"I'll just show you!" Yunobo responded, nearly panicked by Daruk's irritation.

Yunobo rushed to the edge and looked down. Suddenly, he curled up as a familiar, orange barrier formed around him. With a yell, Yunobo rolled off the ledge, rolling along the wall of the spire. He disappeared below the lava for a moment before he burst through the surface, rolling up along a spire not far away. He uncurled as he reached the top, grabbing a ledge quickly. He struggled to pull himself up for a long moment.

"Ha! Maybe he is my grandson after all! What?" he asked as Link sent him a questioning look. "He looks pretty weak-willed, but if he's got my magic, that means he's got my strength as well! All I need to do is pull it outta him! Anyway, let's –" Both stumbled as the ground shook violently below them.

"Look!"

Daruk looked in the direction Link was pointing, gaping as he saw a massive rolling form bounding down the mountain. After one hundred years of sleep, he hadn't been expecting his first glimpse of Rudania to be the giant machine rolling down the mountain. Around it was an avalanche of stone that threw a massive dust cloud into the air.

"C'mon, Little Guy!"

Link was already climbing up Daruk's back before the Goron had even finished curling. He quickly launched Link skyward, then bolted towards the edge of the spire, eager to replicate Yunobo's feat.

He hadn't needed to see much to know that Rudania was on his way towards Goron City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is what happens when Daruk says no...


	20. Divine Beast Vah Rudania

Link charged through the dust cloud that blanketed Goron City with his tunic pulled up around his mouth and nose. He struggled to stay upright as stone and fire rained down from above, causing the earth to quake beneath him. All around echoed the shouts of panicked Gorons and the shattering of rock. Despite the din that bombarded him from every angle, Link could still hear the screech of Rudania somewhere above them.

Link dove to the side just in time to avoid a charging Goron. As he regained his footing he caught sight of one of the children who had fallen on his back and was rolling back and forth, unable to get up. He dashed over and quickly pulled the child to his feet. "Go!" he shouted as he gave the child a firm push on the back.

The Hylian Champion resumed his mad rush through the city, diving out of the way of Gorons and falling rocks alike.

"Yunobo!" It hadn't taken long after he and Daruk's grandson had entered Rudania's field of destruction for Link to lose track of Yunobo.

"I'm here! I'm here!"

Not for the first time, the Hylian Champion wondered why Daruk had insisted that he and Yunobo take the fast route while he took the slower one. It was nonsensical as far as he could tell. It would have been easy to send one through the cannon and then the other with a brief intermission to launch him across. Despite his misgivings, he carried on, occasionally calling to make sure that Yunobo was still close by.

"Over here!" Link found momentary respite under a ledge near the outskirts of the city.

"Where are you?"

"Here!"

Yunobo finally stumbled under the overhang, hunched over as he tried to catch his breath.

"Whadda- whadda we do?"

"We keep going," Link replied firmly. Yunobo looked like he was about at the end of his rope and they hadn't even gotten close to the Divine Beast as far as the Hylian could tell.

"We never fought that thing this close to the city!"

"And if we don't?"

"Then… Goron City will…"

"So, when we get out of here, I need you to have my back. Can I count on you?"

"Y-ye-"

"Like you mean it!" Link snapped. He only partially regretted losing his temper in that moment. He understood all to well the pressure that the frightened young Goron was experiencing. It had been something he had been struggling with since Rhoam's revelation, but that didn't mean he would just allow Yunobo to turn tail when the going got rough.

"Yes!"

As Link eyed the Goron, he finally understood why Daruk had snapped at him in the mines. The Goron seemed to respond much better to volume and force as opposed to understanding. Perhaps Yunobo understood that his involvement would no longer be negotiable. Daruk's grandchild steeled himself, though he still appeared scared out of his wits.

"Go!" Together the duo left the safety of their temporary shelter and sprinted up the incline.

Link thought about pulling out his shield but quickly discarded the idea. Even though the shield was nearly unbreakable, it didn't extend to him that same trait. If a boulder struck the shield, it could still crush him through sheer weight or force of impact. He'd just have to dodge the best he could and hope for the best.

"Look out!" Yunobo shouted.

Link, resorting to his basest instincts, dove forward, using his hands to cover his head. He felt a flash of heat across his back as an explosion made itself heard just behind him. He sprang to his feet, favoring his shield rather than the sledgehammer.

Above them were three flying machines that looked vaguely like Guardians. They were smaller and more fragile looking, but the Hylian Champion didn't let that ease his concerns any. Little didn't mean less dangerous, especially with the small little propellers that kept them suspended far out of his reach.

"Yunobo!"

There was no response.

"Yunobo!"

He looked around the best he could as held his shield between him and the mini Guardians. He finally saw the Goron huddled on the ground with his magic barrier surrounding him.

"The Sentries never attacked us before! Whadda we do!?"

"Get up and fight back!"

Yunobo just curled tighter, leaving Link to fight their three opponents on his own.

The Hylian Champion raced through his options quickly. The most effective method would have been a bow, but he had none with heat resistance. His iron bows would have snapped the same way his sword would have. On a whim he had tried pouring a little of one of the fireproof elixirs he had on a wooden bow, hoping that the mixture would be absorbed into the weapon. It had caught fire as soon as he left the relative safety of the caves.

That left his sledgehammer, the only weapon that was capable of withstanding the rampant temperatures of Death Mountain. Unfortunately, use of the hammer was out of the question. It was not weighted for throwing, which was the only option left to him without Yunobo to propel him into the air. Even if it had the proper balance, he didn't think he would be able to throw it farther than a few yards at best. It just wasn't made for Hylian use.

That just left his shield. Revali had mentioned that it was capable of reflecting Guardian blasts. If he learned fast enough, he may be able to knock their blasts right back at them.

Link held his shield up defensively, being sure to leave each of the Sentries within his line of sight. Even with the magic imbued shield and his razor-sharp senses, the Hylian wasn't ready for the blast that came his way. He blocked it, surprised by the force behind it, and stumbled back several steps as the beam ricocheted off to the side.

The Hylian's shoulder creaked in protest as he brought it back in front of him. Link angled himself so that his body would support his shield arm and widened his stance considerably.

When the next blast came, he heaved against the shield, pushing back against the blast. This time, the beam didn't bounce to the side, but rather reflected back towards the Sentry, missing it barely. As he set himself back into his stance, another Sentry fired a series of quick bursts at him. The first two bounced off quickly but served to unbalance him with the speed at which they impacted his makeshift weapon. It was the third that pushed him back and caused him to stumble over the uneven ground.

Link fell back, rolling over his shoulder as he did so. He just barely got his shield up to block another beam, which, without a solid base, knocked him off his feet.

The Hylian Champion collided painfully into stone. Before he could curl up under his shield, a familiar orange barrier closed around him, catching and sending another one of the painfully bright beams right back at the offending Sentry. The Machine exploded as the high energy attack struck it straight in the center of its metallic body.

Link looked over his shoulder quickly, expecting to find that Daruk had caught up. Instead, Yunobo was crouched behind him with his arms flung wide.

"Sorry," the young Goron stammered. "They normally just keep an eye out fer threats to Rudania. I wasn't ready fer them to attack us."

"Ready to fight back?"

"Yeah!" Link could still see traces of fear on his ally's face, but there was also a spark in his eyes that he hadn't seen up to this point.

"Let's get below one and fling me up."

"Are you insane?!"

"Any better ideas?"

"Just let their attacks bounce of Daruk's Protection," Yunobo replied.

"Daruk's Protection?"

"My shield."

Link fought off a sigh as he realized that even though Yunobo had made his first step away from cowardice, the young Goron was far from ready to try unconventional methods without good reason.

"Using it tires you right?"

"Yeah."

"Then what happens when you're exhausted and Rudania still needs to be dealt with?"

"I didn't think about that…"

"Fling me up."

"But- "

Link pointed towards the Sentries. During their brief conversation, another shot had bounced off Yunobo's barrier. This one, however, missed as the machine dipped to the left to avoid being struck by its own attack.

Then Link pointed straight above them. There a Sentry had taken position almost directly above them.

"Fling me up quick, then use Daruk's Protection."

"What about you?"

Link answered by resting his hand on the handle of the sledgehammer.

"Is Lord Daruk as crazy as you are?" Yunobo asked as he curled up and let Link climb on.

"Crazier. Ready!"

Yunobo sprang open, sending Link soaring up, high above the Sentry. The Hylian flipped over as he pulled out the hammer, and, using gravity and his own body weight, descended on the machine below.

The propeller was torn to shreds as the blades connected with the hammer. As Link's weapon continued downwards, it shattered a portion of the machines protective layer, exposing the inner gears and wiring. He watched briefly as the mechanisms stopped functioning while it fell towards the ground. The Hylian let go of his hammer and pulled out his paraglider, leaning to the left and right in an attempt to throw off the last Sentry's aim.

He hit the ground running, grabbing his hammer before regrouping with Yunobo.

"All right. One more time, then –"

Both froze as the ground heaved beneath them. A bone-chilling screech emanated from above them as Rudania's body rolled to a stop on the cliff above them.

"Wha- What now?!"

Link grit his teeth. Their only option would be to charge forward and hope they could find some way aboard the Beast before it crushed them.

"Rudania!"

Above them, the last Sentry exploded as a familiar stone sword fell to the earth.

Daruk barreled by them, grabbing the Boulder Breaker as he passed them. Rudania, who had been ready to crush them, turned around and began climbing back the way it had come.

"Oi, Rudania! Don't ya run from me! You bring that pig-faced pebble back here, so I can knock ya both around like the pebblits ya are!"

Link stared after the Goron Champion, shocked at what he had just witnessed. Before he even realized it, he had doubled over laughing at what he had just seen.

Only Daruk would threaten to knock a Divine Beast around, and only he could scare it off.

"Why… why is he chasing it?"

"We're taking Rudania back."

"Taking it back?!"

"Yep. Let's go!"

"Yer both outta yer minds!"

Link dashed after his fellow Champion, determined to catch up as soon as he could.

"Wait! Wait!" Yunobo cried as he and Link began to catch up to Daruk.

"Why?!" Daruk called back, not slowing down.

"Because we won't catch him like this!"

"Whaddya mean? And make it quick."

"It uses those Sentries to keep an eye out fer things that'll attack it," Yunobo panted. "When somethin gets close, it attacks or runs away. There's no way- "

"We already beat the –"

"You don't understand! It'll just make more!"

Daruk's eyes widened at Yunobo. Link couldn't blame him as he was just as surprised by the force in Yunobo's voice.

"Yer sure?" Daruk asked calmly as he stroked his beard.

"Yeah. Bludo shot em down one time with a cannon. It just replaced em somehow."

"Then whadda we need to do?"

"We have to sneak by em."

"Sneaking?" Daruk asked incredulously. "That's not really how I'm used ta doin things."

"I think we should try," Link interjected.

"… All right, but if it doesn't work, we charge straight in." Daruk turned back and looked up at Rudania. The Divine Beast had come to rest about halfway up the summit. "Okay, let's move."

Link took the lead with Yunobo following him. The Hylian Champion edged his way along as he saw small blurs flying over the landscape.

Link spurred his companions onwards towards an overhang as one of the newly created Sentries began flying in their direction. They huddled under the protection as the Sentry flew overhead, passing them by entirely.

"Let's go now," Daruk whispered. Link needed no further direction as they sprinted quickly along the path, only feeling moderately safe when they rounded a sharp edge out of the first Sentry's line of sight.

The misconceived sense of safety died quickly as they saw another Sentry directly ahead that remained stationary above the path.

"Great, now what?" Daruk grumbled as they analyzed the Sentry.

"How do they alert the Divine Beast?" Link murmured to Yunobo.

"They sound an alarm."

Link grinned. If they had to sound an alarm, that meant they were not in direct contact with Rudania. Without an alarm being sounded, the Divine Beast was good as blind. "We can destroy it."

"You sure, Little Guy?"

Link nodded.

"Alright! I can take care of that!" The Sentry's gaze flicked towards them when Daruk shouted, but it was too late. The Boulder Breaker had already torn through it as its eye found them. "Quick!" Daruk called, spurring them onwards before it could be replaced.

They bounded along the path, only stopping when they were certain that they were out of sight for the moment.

"So, Yunobo, when we finally get ta Rudania, how do we knock him out?"

"Bludo usually fires me at it until it goes away."

"Then let's find a cannon!"

"There's one further up, close to where Rudania is."

"Lead the way!"

Yunobo nodded and took the lead. He sent them a nervous glance over his shoulder before he led them further along the path. Along the way, they found several more Sentries, though Link's hearing was sensitive enough to hear them before they stumbled across them. As it turned out, Daruk's aim was not as good as Link had thought it was, forcing the Goron Champion to launch him up towards the machine just as it blared its warning. Thankfully, the brief alarm hadn't been enough to disturb the Divine Beast.

"Sorry about that, Little Guy," Daruk muttered as he picked his weapon back up.

Link waved off the apology as they continued on. He knew that Daruk's weapon wasn't weighted for throwing, making his aim questionable at best.

They ran into a few more Sentries on the way; however, Daruk now took their presence much more seriously. He didn't just hurl his weapon at them now, instead choosing to take the time to measure his throws. They also resorted to less conventional methods, such as using Magnesis to crush them with heavy metal boxes that were strewn along the Mountain's path.

They also passed several cannons; however, they passed them all by as Yunobo insisted that they wouldn't be able to attack the Divine Beast with them. Though Daruk's grandson still quaked every time the earth shook, he also seemed to be gaining some confidence and had even shown excitement when they had taken down some of the Sentries.

"The Cannon's right here!" Yunobo called as they rounded one last bend.

"All right! Aim carefully and launch me at him, Little Guy!"

Link nodded as he and Daruk pushed against the cannon, only stopping its rotation when he was pleased with the angle.

"Wait!" Yunobo cried just as Daruk was about to climb into the cannon. "What about me?"

"You go back to the City," Daruk replied. "You've done enough here, and they'll need yer help to recover."

"O-okay."

Link subdued the frown he felt trying to take over his face. Something about the way Daruk had given Yunobo instructions had struck him as off. Maybe it was the look on his face or maybe it was the way he had said it so dismissively. Maybe it was even the way that Daruk hadn't even stopped to make sure his command was adhered to.

He shook the thought from his head as he readied a bomb and dropped it in. The Hylian Champion checked his aim one last time, knowing that he couldn't afford to miss. As he did so, he noticed that Yunobo hadn't moved from his spot, looking very indecisive about something. He sent the Goron one last glance, trying to communicate to him that he only had a few seconds left before things got hectic again.

As the two of eyes met, Link noticed that same fire beginning to build in Yunobo's eyes. He didn't take any time to wonder what it meant as he detonated the bomb, sending Daruk hurtling towards Rudania.

Link's eyes widened as he saw Daruk's protective barrier fade as he uncurled. Even from his distance, the Hylian could easily make out Daruk's next words.

"Rudania! Ya didn't really think ya could get away from me, did ya?!"

The Divine Beast roared and began its retreat, but it was too late. Even as its massive legs began propelling it along the Mountain, Daruk crashed into one of its legs, latching on like a small child to its mother.

Link's eyes widened as he watched Rudania ascend further up the mountain. In all the excitement, he had forgotten the most important thing about Death Mountain. The peak was the mouth of a Volcano, which was exactly where Rudania was heading.

He looked around wildly his eyes finally lighting on a small set of rails not far from the cannon. The rails extended far above them, leading close to the summit if his eyesight was anything to go by.

"Here!" Yunobo shouted as he tossed something onto the rails. "It's a cart! Use one of those bombs to send us up!"

Link didn't notice Yunobo's use of "us" as he jumped onto the cart and used a bomb to send them flying up the Mountain. The Hylian Champion watched as The Divine Beast tipped over the rim and into the mouth of the volcano, with Daruk still attached to its back leg.

"Now this is gonna be a real fight!" Daruk roared with a laugh as he disappeared over the edge.

Link dove off the cart before it had even come to a stop, sprinting towards where Daruk had disappeared. He briefly wondered how upset Mipha would be with him as he leaped off the ledge before he had even checked to make sure there was somewhere he could land.

Link quickly spotted Rudania, who had settled in the lava that had pooled at the bottom. He angled towards the Divine Beast, nearly having a heart attack as a familiar orange barrier rocketed past him. Link stared, dumbfounded, as he watched Yunobo fall towards Rudania, eliciting a loud groan as he smacked into it.

When the Hylian Champion finally touched down, Yunobo was already on his feet and exploring the small area around him.

"Why?" Link asked shortly as he approached his friend's grandson.

"Well… I don't know. I guess I'm tired of disappointing Lord Daruk. I want him to be proud of me and to know that I can take care of Goron City as well," the Goron finished as he pounded his chest like Daruk.

Link grinned as he finally found a little bit of his old friend in Yunobo. There was still work to be done, but it was much better than it had been. Link nodded to him as he pulled out the Slate, ready to enter Vah Rudania.

* * *

Kass took a moment to watch the Rito Champion's back. Master Revali was much more standoffish than he was when Kass had first met him. The Bard couldn't blame him though.

Lady Urbosa had carried The Rito Champion on her back after Dinraal had been driven away. Lady Mipha had then used her powers to heal him, leaving his singed feathers as the only mark of the Rito Champion's former injuries. It was truly incredible to witness the powers that earned the Zora Champion her renown as a graceful healer.

Though Master Revali's physical wounds had healed, he still had mental wounds that needed attention. He said nothing of what was on his mind, but Kass could see he was hurting. The father in him had helped him to see past the superficial actions of others. It wasn't often the Bard chose to address what he saw though. Few wanted someone little more than a stranger to talk as though he knew them.

While it was unusual for Kass to speak to others about their private affairs, he did feel an exception was in order. The Rito Champion was vital to the survival of Hyrule. Besides, it wasn't like he was a total stranger.

While what he had said when he first introduced himself was true, it wasn't really Lady Mipha that had caught his attention, but Master Revali. He had felt his childhood awe overcome him when he first laid eyes on the Rito Champion in the Stable. He had always hoped that he would be able to meet him again but had feared that such a meeting would be impossible.

He highly doubted that Master Revali remembered him. It had been so long ago, and Kass had been just a child at the time. The Bard, like the rest of his childhood friends, had all looked up to Master Revali as a living legend.

Though the Champions of Hyrule were all known in the Rito Village, it was the Rito Champion that every child had wanted to be. Not only could he control the massive machine that had chosen its perch above the village, but his skills as an archer were second to none. Every single child would travel to the shooting range that had been built in his honor in the hopes that they would be able to see him practice, and Kass had been no exception. He could recall countless times where his young eyes were unable to keep up with all of the arrows being fired and targets being shattered.

It had been a long time since he had seen the Rito Champion's skill at play, but he had been no less impressed during Master Revali's battle with the dragon. It had lived up to everything he had remembered: arrows being fired as fast as a gale and a mastery of the sky that was unmatched.

Kass felt lucky to have witnessed it.

It was just a shame that no matter what the Rito and Gerudo Champions had done, Dinraal was no less corrupted.

"What? Here to sing me a tune about how I failed?" Kass wasn't really surprised that Master Revali had caught him without even having to turn around.

"No. I came to ask a favor of you."

" _Oh yes,_ " the Rito Champion muttered as finally turned to face Kass, "because there is something only I can do."

Kass said nothing, unsure of how he should respond to Master Revali's bitter words.

"What?"

"Well, you see, I have a sister in the village who grew up hearing the tales that are told about you. She always wanted to meet you; however, you were already sleeping in the Shrine of Resurrection by the time she was born."

"And?"

"I was hoping I could introduce her to you when we arrived at our home."

"Home," Master Revali echoed, momentarily dropping his defenses. All at once, his face hardened again as his eyes refocused on Kass. "And will I still have a home after you tell them?"

"Tell them?"

"You know what I am talking about."

Kass wasn't sure what made the Rito Champion believe his place in the village would be endangered if people heard about the battle with Dinraal. Kass had been thunderstruck when he had seen Master Revali perform stunts he hadn't even thought were possible. They certainly weren't with his own meager abilities.

"Master Revali, I don't think that… "

"Do you think at all?"

"I do." Kass tilted his head as he watched the Rito Champion patiently. Despite how rude Master Revali had been thus far, he wasn't offended in the least. A part of fathering five daughters was being able to take a verbal lashing without losing his temper. It wasn't always easy, but it was a skill that had served him well.

"Fine. I'll meet your sister. Is that all?"

"I was also wondering how you're doing?"

"How I'm doing?" Revali scoffed. "Fine. What does it look like?"

"… I know what it feels like to fail," Kass murmured sadly.

"Who said I- "

"Though I am told I am an exceptional Bard, I know I am a terrible husband and father. I continually leave my family for long periods of time, only coming to visit occasionally, then I am back to traveling. I've missed more of my children's birthdays than I have been present for."

"It must be _awful_ ," Master Revali replied with feigned sympathy.

"It is," Kass replied as though not hearing the sarcasm in the Rito Champion's voice. "It makes it very difficult sometimes to continue on, but then I remind myself – " Kass paused as Master Revali shot into the sky above, leaving him all alone, "- that everyone deserves a second chance," he finished quietly.

The Bard watched sadly as his childhood idol flew high above. His time with the Champions was limited, and he had hoped to learn as much about them as he could before it was up.

* * *

_"Daruk... Daruk,"_ Zelda called quietly. The Goron Champion froze in place, his ears straining for his lost sister's voice. He knew that she wouldn't speak to him unless it was a grave matter. _"Rudania is the most stubborn of the Divine Beasts. His will only bows to those who prove they have an unbreakable will and an unconquerable heart, but even he can tire. Rudania will use the last of his will to resist Gannon for as long as he can, but he will be unable to help you. You must hurry and destroy Fireblight before he takes Rudania completely."_

"Leave it ta me, Little Sister. I'll smash that blight-thingy into gravel!" Daruk replied as he flexed his arm with a grin. His grin didn't fade in the slightest when Zelda didn't respond.

Now, he just needed to find his way through the pitch-black machine. If he was remembering correctly, there was a pedestal that could be used to light braziers that would, in turn, illuminate the interior of Rudania. Before he could activate the pedestal though, he would need the Sheikah Slate.

There was no doubt in the Goron Champion's mind that Link was already aboard the Divine Beast, and even if he wasn't, he would be shortly. The Little Guy hadn't been stymied by Rudania, so there was no way that a little lava would scare him off. Urbosa, Revali, and Mipha would have called it stupidity. He called it bravery. The Little Guy had the heart of Goron hidden away in that minuscule body of his.

Though he had total faith that Link was aboard Rudania, he didn't have that same faith in Yunobo. While he had told Yunobo to return to the City, he was hoping that his grandson had disobeyed and followed them. He didn't like the idea of putting his grandson at risk, but he hated the idea of Yunobo always giving into his fear. He'd rather his grandson die a true Goron then live as a sham. It wasn't solely for his own reputation, but for Yunobo's sake as well.

Living in constant fear wasn't any way to live. He'd seen the three younger Champions constantly held back by the fear that they felt. He wasn't sure if it was the fear of moving forward, the fear of getting hurt, or fear of pain in general. Whatever fear it was, it was a constantly keeping them from being their best selves. He didn't want that for anyone he cared about, especially not his grandson. He hadn't known Yunobo for more than just a few hours, but that didn't really matter. The young Goron was his grandson, and that's what was important. The rest could be figured out later.

Daruk reflexively covered his eyes as he was assaulted by multiple bright lights. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the lights were actually Keese that were ablaze. He had forgotten that the extreme temperatures had changed the small monsters. Somehow, their bodies were constantly being licked by flames while they were active, yet they weren't harmed in the slightest.

Rather than attacking him, they set down on his arms and stomach, keeping themselves alight.

"Uh… what're you guys doin'?"

As he expected, the Keese didn't respond as they continued to hang off of him. The Goron Champion couldn't say he was annoyed by their presence. They couldn't bite him, their flames couldn't burn him, and, best of all, he could finally see.

"Hey! Look over there!"

Daruk whirled around, filled with surprise as he recognized his grandson's voice. Link and Yunobo edged into his view with their hands covering their eyes.

"What're you doin' here Yunobo? Did you tell him to come along, Little Guy?"

Link shook his head.

"I- I," Daruk was about to tell him to start again when Yunobo stopped on his own. "I came because I wanted to."

"You wanted to?"

"No… not really, but I felt like I should. Goron City is my home and- "

"I'm proud of ya!" Daruk exclaimed as he slapped a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "You're startin' to act like a real Goron!" His grin widened as Yunobo perked up. "Now, let's get movin'!"

"Why do you have Fire Keese on you?" Link asked quietly before Daruk could start looking for the pedestal he needed.

"Oh, that? I don't know."

"Oh, you guys don't know? We use Fire Keese for minin'. They stick close by and act as lights, meanwhile, we're diggin' up bugs and whatever else it is they eat. It's a nice little thing we got goin'." Yunobo finished as Link and Daruk looked at him skeptically. "What?"

"All the Keese we've run into tried to kill us," Daruk grumbled quietly.

Link's eyes tilted up thoughtfully before he reached into his pouch. When he pulled his hand out, the little monsters swarmed him while shrieking madly.

"Whoa, whoa!" Daruk shouted moving forward to wave the fire bats off but stopped when Link shook his head, unconcerned by his predicament.

Without warning, they began hanging off of him, with a few disgruntled Keese that had no perch returning to Daruk.

"Whaddya do?"

"Had some extra Darners," Link replied with a shrug, eliciting unhappy chirps from his passengers.

"No offense, Little Guy, but why aren't they hurtin' ya?"

"I still have fireproof elixirs."

"Oh… right. This way!" Daruk called over his shoulder as he led them towards the pedestal that would light up the rest of Rudania. He ambled through the Divine Beast, heading towards the rear of the giant machine. When they came upon the pedestal, he motioned for Link to activate it. As soon as the Slate was authenticated, the braziers in Rudania lit themselves, causing the Keese to chirp discontentedly and fly off. Link watched them for a moment before he turned back to the pedestal.

"All right," Link muttered as he removed the Slate from the pedestal. He held it out in front of them and tapped one of the controls, summoning a three-dimensional map of the Beast. "Here are the terminals," he finished as he pointed to five glowing marks on the map.

"That thing is awesome," Yunobo murmured as he stared, entranced by the device Link held.

"Its okay, I guess" Daruk muttered. "We know what we need to do." With that, the Goron Champion turned to see

"Uh, Daruk… you're going the wrong way."

"Oh… right. I meant to do that."

Link grinned as he motioned the other way. Even though the Hylian had the map, he still let Daruk lead the way as they worked through the Divine Beast, something he was immeasurably grateful for. It was embarrassing enough that he had already made a wrong turn on what should have been his home turf in front of his grandson. It would have been even worse if he wasn't even the one guiding them through.

"So, Lord Daruk – "

"Don't call me Lord," Daruk grumbled. It wasn't that he was against formalities, it just wasn't for him, especially where family and friends were concerned.

"Oh… uh, Daruk- "

"How about you call me… Gramps!" Daruk decided.

"Gramps?"

"Yep!" Revali had called him that a few days ago. Daruk had taken a liking to the moniker regardless of the fact that the Rito had clearly not meant it as a compliment.

"So, uh… Gramps… where've you been all this time?"

"I was put in some chamber that was supposed to heal me."

"Heal you?"

"Yep. Apparently, I got banged up pretty bad when we tried to fight Ganon."

"And you're gonna try and fight him again?"

"Not gonna try," Daruk corrected, "I'm gonna crush him into a pile a dirt."

"Do you think you can?" Yunobo asked worriedly.

"I don't have a choice. The Little Guy and the others aren't gonna just up and stop. They need me, just like the little sister we're gonna save."

"They need you," Yunobo echoed quietly.

"You okay?" Daruk was worried about the lost look on Yunobo's face.

"I guess I've never really felt needed…" Daruk frowned as Yunobo stared down at the ground.

"Whadda ya mean?"

"I guess I just feel like everyone in the City has given up on me."

"Now isn't the time to give up," the Goron Champion replied firmly.

Yunobo nodded demurely.

"Hey, enough of that! This is the time you show our brothers what ya got! You understand?"

"Yeah…"

"Am I right!?"

"Yes."

"Let me hear you!" Daruk roared.

"You're right."

"Louder!"

"You're right!"

"So, what're ya gonna do about it?!"

"I'm gonna show em what I got!"

"Now you're talkin'!" Daruk exclaimed as he slapped a hand on his grandson's back. "You gotta show the fight in ya! Otherwise, how do yer brothers know they can count on ya? How do yer enemies know they made a grave mistake?"

Yunobo nodded excitedly before a thoughtful look overtook his face. "Do ya think I could come with ya guys after this is over? I… I don't really think our brothers need me."

Daruk began stroking his beard to hide the frown he felt inside. While he had wanted to inspire his grandson, he hadn't meant to inspire him to join the Champions. "Why dontcha think on that some more, and we'll talk about it once we get back to the City."

"Okay," Yunobo replied with a firm nod.

Daruk nodded again before turning to Link, who had stopped just ahead of them. "What's wrong, Little Guy?"

"The last terminal is outside, above the control terminal," Link replied. "I think we should be ready for Fireblight."

"Right. Yunobo, I need ya to stay here," Daruk rumbled as he turned back to his grandson.

"But, you just said- "

"I know what I said, but this here is different. The Little Guy and I nearly died the last time we tried to fight Ganon. We can't promise that you'll make it out in one piece."

"But- "

"Wait," Daruk ordered. While he had hoped that the Goron would follow them aboard Rudania, he had never intended for his grandchild to fight Fireblight.

Yunobo looked conflicted but finally sighed as he nodded.

"Good," Daruk muttered. He nodded to Link as together they left Yunobo behind, stepping onto the exterior of the Divine Beast.

The doorway led out onto the side of Rudania, forcing them to clamber up the rounded surfaces to reach his back. The center of the Divine Beast's back was flat, allowing them to stop for a moment and catch their breath while trying to find the last of the pedestals they needed to activate.

"Up there," Link said as he pointed above them. A low hanging arch spanned Rudania's back, and nestled in it, far above their reach, was the last terminal.

"You know, Little Guy, I'm startin' ta think whoever built this didn't want us to activate Rudania."

Link chuckled as Daruk held his massive hands out, letting the Hylian climb into his makeshift stirrup. The Hylian Champion nodded when he was ready, and with a massive heave, Daruk sent him flying up towards the terminal. Link barely managed to touch the Slate to the pedestal before he began his descent with his paraglider.

"Didja get it?"

"I think so," Link muttered as he squinted back up at his target. "I did," he said confidently.

"Let's finish this then."

As soon as the Slate touched the control panel, an explosion of Malice pushed them back as blue threads crawled out of the mechanism. They spun themselves together into a creature very much like Link had described. The purple skin, the ridiculous red mane, bright veins that spiderwebbed across its body, and the bits of ancient machine parts scattered across its misshapen body. Unlike Waterblight, it was armed with a giant energy ax.

"Oi!" Daruk shouted as the Blight's massive eye found them.

It raised its weapon and screamed at them.

"Good! I didn't want to waste words!" Daruk laughed as he charged towards the enemy. Fireblight brought its ax down, forcing Daruk to pull up his shield.

The Goron's breath hitched as exhaustion pummeled him as soon as the weapon made contact. Daruk's Protection, which he had always thought was impenetrable, began to crack as the Blight was knocked back. He back peddled quickly as the monster recovered.

"I don't how much more of that I can take," Daruk panted as Fireblight floated above them, getting ready to attack again.

"Don't get hit," Link advised as he raised his sledgehammer.

"Right. Any ideas?"

"Remember the Talus?"

"Right," Daruk replied with a grin, "I'll- "

The Goron Champion was forced to leap to the side as the Blight's blade came down again. He huffed in irritation, hoping that Link had at least some idea of what he had been about to say.

The Blight raised its ax once again, but Daruk was faster. He charged forward as he swung the Boulder Breaker, slamming the dull sword into its lower half, unbalancing it. Fireblight shrieked in pain as Daruk watched Link race towards; however, the monster used its free hand to summon and fireball and fling it at the Hylian wildly.

Though it had missed, the fireball still bought the Phantom of Ganon all the time it needed to recover and float out of the Hylian's reach.

"I don't know if this is gonna work. Any other ideas?" Daruk panted. It wasn't like him to be this tired this early in a fight, but that one blow had fatigued him more than anything else that had ever hit him.

"Throw me."

"You sure?"

"Yep."

The Goron Champion didn't waste any more time. He scooped Link up and threw him at the advancing Blight. The Hylian looked so tiny as he flew towards the monster, slipping through its fingers as it attempted to snatch him from the air. He barreled after his friend, determined to catch Link if he needed to.

Daruk grinned as he watched Link catch onto the Blight's mane and hold on for dear life with one arm as he reached for an ice arrow. Though his friend was small, he had a way of hitting hard when he needed to.

The Goron saw a brief flash of white as Link rammed the ice arrow into Fireblight's back. The Hylian Champion let go and let himself fall as an explosion wracked the monster's body. The massive being fell to the ground as Daruk charged towards it, his weapon held high above him.

He brought his weapon down on the back of its head just as it swung its ax, knocking him across Rudania's back. Daruk finally came to a stop as the enemy grabbed ahold of Link and tossed him like a ragdoll. The Hylian crumbled to the ground not far from Daruk.

The Blight floated over to him, taking its time as it raised its ax, tilting its head to analyze him. The Goron Champion tried to bring his barrier up one last time, but something jumped in front of him. The ax fell as a familiar orange glow filled his view and knocked the enemy back.

"Yunobo?! What're you doin' here?"

Yunobo couldn't respond as he fell to his knees gasping for breath. "Sorry… Gramps…"

Link stumbled beside them and over a bottle filled with a muddy substance. "Drink it," he wheezed as he pulled out another and handed it to Yunobo. Daruk chugged his, feeling a little energy come back to him.

"Whadda we do?" Yunobo asked as Fireblight finally righted itself, looking as worn out as the Goron Champion felt. Link had only gotten to him once, but it apparently had been enough to hurt it.

"I got an idea," Daruk muttered as their enemy watched them from afar. "When I give ya the signal, take its arm out."

The Phantom charged, swinging its ax at the Goron Champion. Daruk threw up his shield, knowing it couldn't take the blow. It didn't matter as he only needed his protective spell to slow the weapon down for a second.

He nearly passed out as his barrier shattered, fading out of existence as Daruk grabbed onto the ax, digging in his heels as he held the ax in place with all his might. Fireblight strained against him, but the Goron held fast as Link's sledgehammer slammed into the hilt of the ax. The ancient device began to crack as the enemy desperately tried to summon a fireball. Before it could unleash it, Yunobo's fist collided with the already damaged ax, severing the appendage completely. The energy weapon fell to the ground at Daruk's feet.

The Phantom screamed as its fireball exploded prematurely. It managed to remain airborne, flying higher as it clutched the stump that remained of its arm.

Daruk numbly picked up the ax and spun on to his heel, letting go of the massive blade. The weapon soared above, spinning towards Fireblight and coming to rest in its shoulder. The air was filled with its shrieks as it fell back to the floor. The Goron Champion picked up his discarded weapon as he and Link stumbled towards it. Daruk raised it over his head one last time. He looked up when he felt something catch his sword, finding that his opponent had contorted its arm to catch his strike. He stared into the single, hate-filled eye, impressed by the perseverance and tenacity displayed. Beside him, Link hurriedly raised his own weapon.

"Wait," Daruk panted as his arm began to ache. "I just wanted to say… I've fought a few monsters since I woke up… none of em… none em put the fight up that… you did… You have… my respect." Daruk nodded to Link, who swung his hammer one last time, splintering the Monster's mask.

The Goron Champion watched tiredly as the Phantom began contorting violently as malice began exploding from the various wounds on its body. In one last showing to impress Daruk, the Blight never made a sound as disintegrated in one last explosion.

"We did it!" Yunobo cried.

"Not yet," Link muttered as he limped over to the pedestal. He set the Slate on the terminal, his torn and bloodied sleeves barely clinging to his arms. His arms fell to his side, just barely holding onto the Slate as he fell back.

Daruk tried to move to his fallen companion but before he had even taken a step his vision shifted. He wasn't quite sure how he had fallen, only that he was far too comfortable to even remember why he had wanted to move in the first place. His last thought was that whoever was shouting needed to be quiet as the world faded away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are killer.
> 
> Anyway, life is going to get real hectic soon, so I may be gone for a while... we'll see.


	21. The Deeper Problem

" _Oi, Henry!" At the Goron Chieftain's call, the rugged, blonde-headed man looked up and grinned, raising a hand in greeting as he continued his leisurely pace. "It's about time ya got here, ya lazy bum!"_

" _Maybe you should leave this blasted Mountain every once in a while, huh?"_

" _And why would I do that?"_ Daruk slapped his old friend on the back as Henry finally reached him, causing the short man to stumble forward.

"Every time?" Henry groaned as he stretched his back out.

"What? Should I not give a brother a proper greetin'?"

"I'm not saying that. I just don't want to listen to another lecture from Ellen. She's been so much more uptight since she got pregnant."

"Preganant? What's that mean?"

"Pregnant," Henry corrected as he finished stretching, "it means she's getting ready to have a baby."

"To have a baby? Ya mean ta tell me ya don't grow from crystals like we do?"

"You what?"

"Yeah!" Daruk exclaimed, dumbfounded by Henry's lack of knowledge. "When we're minin' we find these special crystals that will one day grow inta a Goron. Whoever finds the crystal is considered the father, and he has to sleep on top of the crystal. After a while, the thing starts growin' and becomes a Goron," Daruk finished.

"That's not what happens for Hylians at all… in fact I don't think that's how it happens for any of the other races…"

"Well, how does it happen fer you guys, then?" Daruk asked. He had a feeling that the answer was going to be something absolutely crazy; after all, this was coming from someone who didn't even eat rocks.

"Well," Henry started carefully, his face beginning to redden, "when a man and a woman love each other very much a… Rito… delivers a baby to them…"

Daruk was skeptical of the answer. His first major problem was how the Rito would know it was time for a couple to receive a child as all the ones he had ever met were airheads. It wasn't meant to be an insult to the race, they just seemed to have a problem with basic things like equipping themselves with proper weapons. They liked to carry around those stick throwers and thought that just because they gave them a name like bows, they were suddenly real weapons. Even the dinky little swords they carried around couldn't do much of anything.

The other problem he had was why the Rito would even have Hylian babies in the first place. The only sensible conclusion would be that somehow, they had the means of growing Hylian children. Henry had once told him a story about one of his men who had died because he wanted to prove his manliness by traveling to the Hebra Mountains with no protection from the cold. Now, he would be the first to admit that he wasn't the shiniest of the ore, but he knew that Hylian children would be even more susceptible to the cold then adults were. After all, Goron children couldn't take the same pounding that a fully-grown member of the rock-like race could.

"Henry, ya know I'm not stupid right? How does it reall- "

"I brought you something!" the Hylian interrupted quickly as he reached down by his hip. From a small pouch, he removed a dull colored stone and handed it over to Daruk.

"What is it?"

"A sirloin rock. What does it look like?"

Daruk carefully inspected the stone he held before him. The stone he held was supposedly the rarest of rock delicacies, but something wasn't quite right.

"You're sure?"

"Yep."

Daruk grinned. He had spent an ample amount of time teaching his friend how to identify the best rocks. If Henry said it was a sirloin rock, he'd believe it.

The Goron Chieftain bit into the stone, ready to experience one of the best tasting stones. He was greeted by the familiarly awful taste of a ruby. He spat the offending bits of gemstone out of his mouth as he dropped the rest of it, attempting to use his hands to scrub the taste out.

"I can't believe you fell for that!" Henry wheezed as he clutched his sides, laughing as Daruk continued trying to eliminate the abhorrent taste.

"Wha'd I do to deserve that?"

"It's just a joke" Henry chuckled as he reached back into his pocket and pulled out a much larger stone. "This is the real deal," he said as he handed over the stone.

Daruk picked it up, still suspicious after Henry's first "gift." He inspected it much more carefully, pleased by the weight and smell of the rock he held in his hand. He tentatively took a bite and was awed by the wonderful flavor that dulled the rest of his senses. Without much thought, he crammed the rest of the stone in his mouth, trying to hold onto the flavor for as long as he could while not slowing down at all.

He sighed in disappointment when it was all gone. "That was good." Daruk frowned as he watched Henry. The man had lost focus while the Goron had been eating, looking as though he were locked in some monumental battle on the inside. "Somethin' wrong?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Yer a poor liar."

"That's what Ellen tells me," the Hylian sighed. "I'm just worried about becoming a father."

"Why's that? I think you'd make a great father!"

"With the way things are going, I won't be able to leave the Royal Guard to help raise my little guy… and that's if nothing happens."

"If somethin' happens? Meaning you die?"

"Yeah. I can't keep living under the delusion that I'm invincible."

Daruk scratched his still growing beard. He hadn't ever thought about what would happen to his son if he were to die. Even though he was Darmani's father, raising him was, just like all the children. a community effort. Even if he were to pass on to the mountainous ranges in the next life, Darmani would be taken care of by his brothers.

"Ya know I look after my own, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

_Daruk grinned as he set a hand on his short friend's back. Though he had known Henry for years, he was still surprised from time to time at how much the man still had to learn about brotherhood. "Because that includes you and yer kid. If somethin' happens to ya, ya have my word that I'll look after him."_

" _Thanks."_

" _Fer what? Yer my brother, and that means that we look out fer each other, no matter what."_

* * *

_Daruk's eyes snapped open as lurched up, looking around quickly. It took him a moment to recognize the room he had stayed in during his first night in the city. He tried to remember how he had come to be there, but all he could remember was killing Fireblight._

"You okay?"

Daruk's head snapped around to find Link sitting next to him. The Hylian had replaced his Champion's attire with his Knight' tunic. The Goron figured that, torn and bloodied as it was, it was still in better condition than the Champion's tunic. "Never better!"

"Good," Link murmured as he held a bottle out to him. Daruk frowned as he looked at the muddy brown elixir. He really hated the taste of the things.

"I think I'm okay, Little Guy."

Link continued holding it out as though he hadn't heard.

"Seriously, I think- "

"Mipha will be upset if you don't."

"Not if we don't tell her, she won't," Daruk replied with a wink.

"She'll know."

"Are you sure?"

"She'll know… and she'll force it down your throat if she needs to," Link murmured, almost looking traumatized by the thought.

"Really? She just a sweet little –"

"She will," Link said, more serious than Daruk had ever seen him.

"Okay."

Daruk grimaced as he drank the concoction. Thankfully, it wasn't nearly as terrible as a ruby was. As disgusting as it was, he was glad that Link had convinced him to drink it. He felt much better as he felt the healing effects take over.

"How are you holding up?" Daruk asked as he handed the bottle back.

"I'm okay," Link muttered.

The Goron Champion wasn't sure what it was about the Hylian, but something seemed off. Almost like he was some awkward combination of nervous and excited; however, there were more important questions that needed to be answered. "So, how did we get back here?" he asked as he got to his feet and they made their way outside.

"Yunobo said there was a bright flash of light and we were back."

"So same way as you and Mipha."

"Probably," Link agreed.

Both stopped, surveying the damage the village had taken during the attack. Many of the houses in the City had been destroyed, crushed beyond repair by the avalanche of stone. It seemed that even the ones that were left standing had been seriously damaged, leaving few, if any, structures that could be truly called homes or shops. The roads, once smooth from the constant trekking of the Gorons, was littered with boulders and craters, rendering many of them nearly unusable.

Despite the haggard state of their home, the Gorons were no less cheery as they called jovial greetings to each other while they hauled away debris. Daruk was proud to see his brothers not giving into the despair that so many others would have given into. What truly made him swell with pride was the sight of Yunobo out among his brothers, giving direction and adding his strength to the mix.

"Gramps!" his grandson called as he caught sight of them. "Ya guys doin' okay? It's been two days so we were startin' ta worry."

"We're fine," Daruk replied as winced. Two days was far longer than he was comfortable with; however, his disappointment with himself lost out to his pride he felt for his grandchild. "Ya know, it makes me happy ta see you out here takin' charge. Ya got the makins' of a great chief."

"Thanks," Yunobo said, looking mildly abashed by the Goron Champion's praise.

"So, tell me, where can we help?"

"Don't we have a sister that needs yer help?"

"Yeah, but I think she'd understand if we stayed."

"Nah," Yunobo replied with a shake of his head. "I appreciate the offer, but it's not the Goron way to leave our brothers behind. You go get her, we'll stay and clean up."

"Yer stayin'? You sure?" Daruk was pleased that Yunobo was staying, but he wanted to make sure it was for the right reasons.

"Yeah. I thought a lot about it, but I realized I was wrong. After we got back, Bludo was in bad shape and our brothers were havin' a hard time getting' organized. That's when it hit me: Bludo ain't gonna be around ferever. Once he's gone, the City's gonna need someone to take care of em."

"Ya know," Daruk mused as he looked up to a cliff where his image had once been engraved, "after that attack, my face got knocked out. I think our brothers are gonna need someone's face to help. To remind em that there's a strong brother lookin' out fer all of em."

"Ya think so?"

"Yep, can't be my face though. I'm not really fer that sort of thing."

"Bludo's face then?"

Daruk laughed as his grandson completely missed the point he had been trying to make. "Maybe." He set a hand on Yunobo's shoulder, "Ya've made me proud, Yunobo. Keep steppin' up fer our brothers, ya hear."

"Yeah!"

"That's what I like ta hear!"

With that, the two Champions began their goodbyes. The Gorons gave them one last group hug which Link managed to wriggle out of. Daruk looked back at his home one last time, giving it a final, firm nod before he turned around to begin their journey down the Mountain.

Though he was pleased by Yunobo's growth, there was still something gnawing at him. The Divine Beast had been freed, the City was being rebuilt, Yunobo was stepping up, and yet there was something wrong that he couldn't name.

In a spur of the moment decision, he reached out to Rudania, who had climbed out of the belly of the volcano and had come to rest on the lip. The Divine Beast answered him, but it was as though there was a distance that hadn't been there before.

"Something wrong?" Link asked as he gave the Goron a searching look.

"It's Rudania," Daruk replied with a frown. "I don't really know how to say it, but it's almost like he isn't really listenin' anymore."

"… You should talk to Mipha about that when we meet up with them."

"Will do," Daruk murmured quietly, doing his best to remain upbeat. There was so much going on his own head that he really didn't understand. He sincerely wished he was talking to Urbosa right then. He'd just have to make do in the meantime.

* * *

"Stop!" Urbosa snapped as Revali opened his mouth to say something. "Don't even look at each other!" She finished as Midna and Revali tried to shoot each other a glare over their respective shoulders.

Urbosa sat back and began rubbing her temples as she contemplated the fact that she had degraded to yelling at a wolf. She was sure that Midna hadn't meant to instigate a fight, but once Revali had snapped at her, the wolf had been ready to pounce, and not in the playful manner she did with Link.

The Gerudo Champion had no idea what she had done to offend the Rito. She had found a chicken and dropped it at his feet. To Urbosa, it had been a sweet gesture. Revali had clearly been upset since he had failed to free Dinraal. Midna had likely caught the bird for the Rito Champion in an effort to cheer him up. Instead, for some reason that only Hylia knew, Revali had taken offense at the action.

"Midna!" she snapped as the she-wolf began growling. She had set them at opposite ends of the fire, facing away from each other. Revali would no doubt pout about for days to come but Urbosa wouldn't regret the decision. If he was going to act like a child, she would treat him like one.

She felt a pair of eyes on her and turned to see Kass giving her a look that conveyed understanding and sympathy. Though she had been against the idea of bringing him along at first, she was now grateful for his accompaniment. The Bard provided an understanding outlet for her irritation with Revali. Though she cared for the Rito Champion, he had been working on every one of her last nerves. Though Kass could do nothing directly, he was always willing to listen to her growl about how much she wanted to wring his thin neck.

Mipha was also quite taken with him, giving Urbosa a much-needed break from the Zora Champion's worries. Under normal circumstances, she had the patience and fortitude to handle Mipha's emotional needs. Revali, however, was determined to make sure that the circumstances were no longer ordinary. Thankfully, Mipha was far too enthralled with Kass' stories to worry about Link and Daruk, or Revali and his hurt pride, or why Dinraal had been resistant to any form of attack. The Bard kept her entertained with stories of mythical Princesses who fought wars through time, unrequited love between a knight and her liege, of animals who walked and talked as they did, stories of Hyrule's past heroes, and spirits who served the Goddess by protecting the denizens of the land.

Despite Mipha's constant prodding, Kass always seemed to have another tale buried somewhere, just waiting to be dug up. Whereas Urbosa likely would have lost patience, or been frustrated by the consistent pleas, Kass was thrilled. When she had asked him why he had replied simply by saying it was nice to have such a rapt audience. It only really sunk in when he had said that passing on stories was what he lived for, and Mipha's fascination gave him a sense of fulfillment that was, at times, difficult to find.

"Do you have any suggestions?" she asked quietly as she sat beside him.

"Unfortunately, there is nothing that anyone can do," Kass replied as his gaze shifted to the Rito Champion, who was glaring off into the distance. "There are some lessons that can only be learned when we are ready to learn them. The only suggestion I can make is to remind him that he still has a place among you."

"Hmm?"

"When I tried speaking to him yesterday, he asked if he'd still have a home among the Rito after they found out about the battle with Dinraal."

"So, he thinks we'll keep him around only so long as he is successful."

"Perhaps," Kass murmured sadly. "I have found that it is not uncommon for those with that level of arrogance to believe that those around them will only value them so long as they are useful. If they are no longer able to keep up with the expectations, they become defensive, worried that they will be abandoned by the ones they care about."

"But his confidence isn't destroyed," Urbosa murmured as her hand absently trailed to her temple.

"If he ever truly had confidence," Kass mused.

"What? Have you seen him?"

"Ah, forgive me. I did not mean to be rude – "

"Just finish the thought," Urbosa sighed as she waved off the apology.

"Well," Kass started thoughtfully as his feathered fingers began tapping on his knee, "if he truly had confidence, would it have shattered after one failure."

The Bard had a point. Though Revali gave the appearance of overconfidence, his consistent aggression pointed to something else entirely.

"Perhaps he was compensating by trying to convince himself that he has confidence," Kass finished absently.

"So, Dinraal isn't the problem at all?" She had been sure that was the case, but she wanted a second opinion before she continued on.

"I would assume the problem is something else entirely," Kass confirmed quietly as they both analyzed the Rito Champion.

"I'm glad we agree. Revali and Midna," she called to the two, "you both can get up now." Revali got to his feet and stalked off, leaving his worried companions behind.

"I wonder," Mipha mused to herself as the Rito Champion disappeared from view. Urbosa looked at her with a raised brow, waiting for her to continue. "What if you were to give him a simple set of tasks to complete. Maybe being able to accomplish those goals would help him build some confidence."

"Doubtful," Urbosa replied, vexed by the entire situation. It wasn't the worst idea, except there was one problem, "he's not an idiot. He'll notice we're up to something."

"True," Kass sighed. "I think it would be best to leave him be until he is ready to open up."

"I agree." Urbosa was nowhere near content with the situation, but considering how volatile the Rito Champion could be, it would be easier for them to inadvertently drive him away. They'd just have to wait and hope for the best. "It's getting late," she said as she stood up, "we should get some rest while we can and start stocking back up on supplies while we wait for the others to get back."

"I can take first watch," Mipha replied. Though Mipha had managed to remain impassive, Urbosa knew her real motives for offering to keep watch. She had been sending furtive glances up the Mountain path several times that day, waiting for Link and Daruk to appear.

"They're probably not going to get here until tomorrow at the earliest."

"I… I see."

"Get some rest. Considering their track record, I wouldn't be surprised if they need your help when they get here."

Mipha nodded somberly and lay on the ground, staring deep into the fire.

"You should get some rest as well," Kass murmured quietly to her.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I have a younger sister and though she means well, she sometimes tries to take on more than she can handle. Sometimes, keeping an eye on her is more exhausting than raising my five daughters. Besides, you are a warrior and I am not. It is important for you to rest"

"All right," Urbosa replied, "wake me in a few hours."

"As you wish."

Urbosa settled across from Mipha, watching the young Zora's eyes slowly drift shut. Between her own worries about Link and Daruk and the stresses of Revali, it was a long time before a restless sleep finally found her.

She was in the middle of a conversation with a blonde-haired woman with regal clothing when the ground leaped beneath her, destroying whatever dream she had been in the midst of. In seconds, she was on her feet with scimitar drawn. "Kass, when I said wake me up, I didn't mean half of Eldin with me."

The Gerudo Champion looked around for the Bard, but he was nowhere to be found. Ahead of them, a large form was crawling out of a hole in the earth.

"What happened?" Mipha slurred drowsily as she roused herself.

"Forgive me for not being here." Kass said as he lighted down next to them, "Master Revali never returned, and so I kept watch from where I could see him as well." The Rito took a moment to look at both Urbosa and Mipha. "I don't think there is any cause to worry."

"And why is that?"

"Look up," Kass advised.

Above her, gliding down with the aid of a familiar device was a familiar form in a Knight's tunic.

Even though Link touched down lightly, he still winced as his feet contacted the earth. It didn't take long for Midna to rush over to him and nearly tackle him as she reared back on her hind legs and set her forepaws on his chest, her tail wagging excitedly. The Hylian returned her greeting by running his hand along her back.

"Link!" The Zora Champion dashed towards the Hylian and flung her arms around him as Midna backed off. Link winced again as he returned the gesture. The embrace was broken quickly as Mipha stepped back and took a look at him. "You're hurt."

"I'm okay," Link replied quietly.

"No, you are not."

"I drank some- "

"Sit down."

"I'll – "

"Now," Mipha commanded quietly. Link made no further protest as he sat down while Mipha began poking and prodding at his torso. She began muttering quietly about bruises and burns that she found on his skin, sounding like she was almost on the verge of lecturing him.

Urbosa let the two be, glad to see that Mipha's nervous energy was now focused on something useful rather than fruitless worrying. She turned back to the massive form bounding towards them, more relieved that Daruk had returned than she cared to admit.

"Hey, guys!" Daruk called as he finally reached them. "Sorry it took us so long ta get back."

"What in Din's name is with all the noise?" Revali groaned as he finally returned to the camp. "Oh… it's just you two."

Urbosa made a small gesture that she hoped Daruk caught as the Goron frowned.

"Sorry. Didn't mean ta wake ya." For once, Daruk seemed to understand the subtlety she favored.

"Did you take a hit to the head? You're talking like an idiot farm boy." The Rito Champion turned away sharply, leaving them all behind again.

"What's with him?" Daruk asked quietly.

"We found Dinraal, but things didn't go so well," Urbosa replied quietly. "I'll tell you more about it later. What are you two doing, wandering around in the dark like a pair of bandits?"

"The Little Guy was too worked up to sleep. Not really sure what had him all excited."

"Yes… I've no idea," Urbosa replied as she motioned towards Link and Mipha with her head. The two Champions were sitting on the ground, talking earnestly.

"Wow… I think he's talked more in the last five seconds than he did the entire time we were up there."

"And Mipha wonders why I tease her," Urbosa sighed.

"So, who's this?" Daruk asked as he pointed to Kass.

"My name is Kass," the Bard replied absently as he watched Link and Mipha, a conflicted look on his face.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"No…"

"Let's worry about it later," Urbosa advised. Though she was curious about the Bard's response to Link and Mipha, it was late and they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow. "I think we could all use some rest."

As the Gerudo Champion took her next watch, her mind wandered to the woman she had been speaking to in her dream. Something about the woman struck her as familiar but, much to her frustration, she could find no answers.

Urbosa let out an annoyed sigh as she decided that she had been idle for too long. Thankfully, they would need to move on tomorrow. If all went well, they would reach the home of the Rito's within a couple of weeks. She hoped that Revali's homecoming would help ease the tensions that had been building within the Rito Champion since the aftermath of his battle with Dinraal.

* * *

"Ganon!" Zelda shouted as malice began constricting around her. She felt Ganon's presence return to her while she continued suffocating on the malice.

" _Silence!"_ he hissed back.

Zelda had experienced this many times. At random times, the malice would condense around her like a storm cloud. She had never bothered to fight back as Ganon could do nothing to her, but this time was different. This time she would prove to him that she wasn't a powerless Princess waiting for her heroes to save her.

" _Stop fighting, foolish girl!"_

"What are you trying to accomplish? You cannot harm me just as I cannot harm you."

" _I said silence!"_

Zelda was about to respond when she felt a power, unlike anything she had ever felt approach. Even Ganon paled in comparison to whatever it was. The being stayed there at the edge of her senses for what felt like an eternity before it slowly withdrew, leaving her and Ganon by themselves.

"What was that?"

" _I don't know, but your struggles nearly killed us both."_

"How so?" Zelda asked curiously. Though she had no love for the beast that had killed her father and nearly razed her kingdom, she was drawn to whatever knowledge he would provide.

" _Among my many talents is the ability to hide myself from prying eyes by using malice. I've been using it to hide us from whatever that being is. You didn't even succeed in pushing me back and it nearly found us. Could you imagine what would have happened if you hadn't stopped?"_

"I see…" It was still a surprise to her that Ganon was intelligent. All her life, she had believed that he was a being only capable of destruction. To think he was capable of not only coherent thought but intelligent thought as well, was something that turned her world on its head.

" _What? You may as well ask."_

"Why?"

" _Have you not already asked that question?"_

"And you never answered."

"… _I seek to rebuild this world, starting with Hyrule."_

"Rebuild it? Into what?" The Princess of Hyrule couldn't figure out what he meant.

" _A world without pain."_ Zelda was shocked, not only by the ludicrous response but by the tone in which it had been delivered. Ganon's voice had been on the edge of contempt every time he had spoken, but this time, he sounded almost longing.

"A world without pain? How can you possibly hope to accomplish that?! Look at all the pain, look at the death you caused?!" Ganon was silent for the longest moment.

" _Tell me, Princess, what is the most important part of a house?"_

"A foundation," she answered, instantly on edge. Her father had spoken to her of foundations much in her youth. He had made sure she understood that a strong foundation was important for the stability of any structure. He had also made sure she understood that she would have to be a part of Hyrule's foundation.

" _Precisely,"_ Ganon replied, as though teaching a small child. _"And what do you suppose one should do if they want to build a new house on top of the ground where the old one lay?"_

"… You wipe away the foundation…"

" _One cannot possibly hope to create a lasting house on top of the broken foundation of the previous one. You must destroy the old foundation, wipe it away entirely. Only then can one hope to create something lasting."_

"And you destroy Hyrule's foundations by killing everyone?"

" _No. I do so by killing you, your father, and anyone who supported you and the old order. Anyone else may live, assuming they do not oppose me."_

"Are you unable to see the hypocrisy? You claim to desire a new world where people won't suffer, yet it is because of you that so many have suffered for so long."

" _From where I am standing, you are the one that is responsible for their suffering. Had you not fought against me, their suffering would have ended long ago. Instead, you prolong it by trapping me here."_

That's not- "

" _What you intended?"_ Ganon interrupted caustically. _"Remember that all things are a matter of perspective. Because I do not support your cause, I am an evil, unthinking beast hellbent on destruction. Because you do not support my cause, you are a naïve girl who refuses to remove her head from the sand."_

"Such an _enlightened_ view," Zelda murmured dryly.

" _One day you'll see that I am right,"_ Ganon replied, smugness beginning to tinge the edges of his tone.

"And how is that. Will you tell me how you reached these conclusions?"

" _Even better. I will show you," Ganon murmured as tendrils of malice began gathering around the Hylian Princess. Her apprehension grew as the snake-like tendrils latched onto her face, burrowing beneath the skin._

" _What is this?" she choked out, trying to suppress a scream._

" _You asked for answers," Ganon murmured impassively as Zelda felt herself being pulled far away from Hyrule Castle._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that I need to quit talking about update times. I just make myself into a liar.


	22. A Planned Detour

_He had been born the only male to the Gerudo in the last century. As was their custom, he had been named their King, destined to inherit the throne since before his birth. Being a race that was almost exclusively comprised of women, he had always been treated as different, weaker than the women of his race. It had been difficult, being told he was supposed to lead while constantly being looked down upon._

To make an already difficult task that much more challenging, the twins that had taken it upon themselves to raise him were cruel and merciless. Every day, they brutally "taught" the necessary skills to be King. When he failed to meet their expectations, he was reminded of his shortcomings through pain. Though they were old and very near decrepit, they could light every nerve in his body on fire with a simple raising of their hand. And when physical pain failed to provide the required motivation, they resorted to attacking his psyche.

He may have broken, if not for his best and only friend. He had met Nabooru when she tried to lift his purse. Though he had spent hours honing his combat skills, a task which involved sharpening his senses like a razor's edge, he almost hadn't caught her. If he hadn't seen her reflection in a decorative shield, it was likely that she would have gotten away with his money. When he captured her, she had pled for mercy, a concept which had intrigued him as he had no experience with it. Something about the act was liberating, taking a weight from his shoulders.

Nabooru, taking his merciful approach to her as a good omen, began to stick close by him. The two were nearly inseparable when he wasn't busy learning from the women who claimed to care about his future. His friend often got away with some of her mischief because of her proximity to him, much to the frustration of the women of the tribe. To his benefit, she rewarded him by teaching the boy some of the tricks of her trade. Sleight of hand, distractions, and, most importantly, how to hide in plain sight.

His friend was the only light in his dark world, the only reason he dared to hope for a brighter future. It wasn't just because she provided fun distractions from the pain of the rest of his existence. For the first time, he felt as though someone genuinely cared about him. For once, he was a person, not a King, not failure of a student, just a boy that someone enjoyed spending time with.

The twins disapproved of Nabooru and did whatever they could to prevent him from meeting with her; however, he wasn't easily dissuaded. He had known from a young age that he had talents as a warlock, and so, he used his training and his own shrewdness to create a solution. After hours of tinkering, he developed a spell that allowed him to create phantoms of himself. The phantoms, along with the skills Nabooru had taught him, ensured that the twins could never be sure of his exact whereabouts.

The years passed slowly as he grew stronger and more adept, both with magic and blade. Eventually, he grew so powerful that none of the Gerudo's strongest warriors could stand against him. As such, he earned their respect, something that he had always hoped to achieve. He had also become immune to his mothers' torture. No matter what unholy spells they used, he shrugged it off, something that both angered and terrorized them. Once, he had even cracked his neck and taken a step towards them. Their panicked shrieks had brought snickers from him for hours.

The only thing that had ruined the moment was that Nabooru hadn't shared the sentiment, choosing instead to once again show her growing concern for him.

She had seen a darkness growing in him for years, something that troubled her greatly. Sensing his friend's disquiet, he did his best to tamp down the parts of himself that she didn't like. She was the person he cared for most, and so he would do his best to be the man she believed he could be. It was difficult at times, but seeing her smile made it all worth it in the end.

His mothers saw the effect that she had on him and tried to punish him all the more for it, but he refused to break. So, they resorted to more drastic measures. They summoned him to the throne room one day with a form of punishment that broke him.

It was Nabooru's screams that caused something in him to snap. Watching her suffer the same form of torture he had been forced to endure for as long as he could remember was the tipping point. He rushed the twins and nearly slaughtered the women who raised him. It would be the last time they ever dared to cross him, yet it had done what they had been unable to do his entire life. They had killed the light within him.

Though his friend suffered no lasting effects from the twin's wrath, he still couldn't look her in the eyes. The fact that something had been allowed to hurt the only good he'd ever seen in the world was unacceptable to him. It being his fault was something he was unable to reconcile himself with. And so, he avoided her, terrified that he would only bring her more suffering.

After the incident, he saw the world's imperfection more clearly. The pain and suffering were things he could no longer tolerate, and so he set to bring a new age to the world; however, he knew it was foolish to attempt to create a new world on the foundations of the old. So, he would raze it, burn everything to the ground, and on the dust and ashes of the old order, he would create anew. Only then could he rest easy, knowing Nabooru was safe.

_He was not so foolish as to believe it was something he could accomplish with his power alone, great as it was. He spent hours, studying ancient myths and legends that offered any insight into realizing his goals. It was in a dusty tome that he found the answer he sought. In the neighboring Kingdom of Hyrule, there was supposedly a relic that held great power. The relic, comprised of three sacred triangles representing three different virtues, would grant the wish of any who touched it. The warlock, determined to create his new world regardless of cost, turned his gaze to Hyrule. It would be there that his conquest started, and there that his ambitions would reach fruition._

* * *

 

" _Do you see now?" Ganon asked as the images slowly bled away. Though he had shown Zelda the answers she sought, the Princess of Hyrule still could not understand his desire._

"Do you truly believe you are doing right?"

" _Are we still discussing what is Good and Evil. Have we not already established my view on this matter?"_

"Let me phrase it differently; do you think you did right by her? What she would have wanted?"

" _In the end, she turned against me. She could not see that what I was doing was for her."_

"That wasn't the problem," Zelda replied quietly.

" _Oh? And you think you know why she betrayed me? Keep in mind that you didn't even see the entirety of the story."_

"I saw enough. You let the those two vile… things… get in your head. When they succeeded, Nabooru lost you."

" _What are you rambling about? I was still there, colder and more determined, but it was still me."_

"You really didn't see it, did you?" she asked. To her, it was obvious why Nabooru had left. Why she had chosen to stand against him when the time came. Even in her brief bout wading through Ganon's memories, she had watched as the light that had once been in his eyes slowly faded until all that was left was a shadow of the man that could have been. She knew that she would have done the same thing if Link had turned out like that.

" _Enough speaking in riddles! Say what it is you mean."_

"She lost you that day."

" _I understand that I wasn't able to protect her then- "_

"That had nothing to do with it! The parts of you that she loved died that day! You became someone else entirely! She grieved your loss as she watched you descend into whatever you are now!"

" _So, she mourned my growing stronger?"_

"You're an idiot," Zelda sighed. She paused for a moment after that, then she began laughing. It was a laugh that went on for longer than she cared to admit. Finally, the laugh reduced itself to mere chuckles.

" _Care to share what you found to be so humorous?"_

"I was always warned about the 'Great Calamity' that would destroy the entire world if I failed. I had the fear of you instilled in me so that there was nothing more I dreaded than your return."

"… _And?"_

"And I just called you, the Scourge of Hyrule, an idiot," she replied, chuckles still wracking her body.

" _So juvenile,"_ Ganon sighed. He began to withdraw again, but she wasn't quite done with him yet.

"Before you go," Zelda said, her humor now gone entirely, "I think you should know that I understand why you chose this path… but you're still wrong."

"… _You're different,"_ Ganon decided, _"your predecessors seemed to think they could impress me with their refusal to budge, content to stare at me coldly the entire time. But you… you have a fire in those eyes. I like that,"_ he murmured. Ganon began laughing suddenly much the same as she had. _"To think I would ever come to hold respect for one of your line. Impressive."_

"And to think I would ever see you as anything more than a monster."

" _A strange world indeed."_ Zelda thought it was a shame that Ganon had become what he was. She thought that, had things been different, he may have been someone whose company she could enjoy. Unlike most of the people she had met, he wasn't content to agree with her because of her station. Instead, he was more than willing to share his perspective once she had spoken to him for a time. It reminded her greatly of someone else she knew.

By the time her musings had ended, Ganon was already gone, leaving her alone with her thoughts once again. Though she had learned much while Ganon shared his memories, there was something more pressing to her than reflecting on what she had learned. Now free to do as she would once again, the Princess returned her ever watchful gaze to her friends.

* * *

 

"You okay, Big Guy?" Urbosa asked as she joined him on the hill where he sat, staring back at the Mountain that was his home.

"I think so," he replied as he scratched his beard.

"Mipha was pretty worried about you. She said you were distracted when you asked her about Vah Ruta."

"Yeah. Rudania's been a little off, so I thought I'd ask her if hers has been actin'… acting- " he corrected, "- up too."

"And?"

"She thinks Ruta has grown a mind of her own, like the last century of continued activity somehow gave her a will."

"I think I prefer the simpler things," Urbosa muttered as she drew a hand across her forehead.

"Yeah…" Daruk chuckled as he continued staring towards the Mountain.

"So, what else is bothering you?"

"Am I really that easy to read?"

"Do you really need to ask?"

"I'm glad that the village is doin'- doing- " he corrected again with a small irritable huff, "- well, and I'm glad Yunobo is steppin- " he cut himself off again as he went to correct himself.

"Stop that," Urbosa interrupted, "there is no reason you need to talk like the rest of us as long as we know what you mean."

"…I plan ta talk ta Revali later, so I figured I try ta talk like normal."

"I think this is your normal now." She found his new old way of speaking rather endearing. It suited him more than the way he had talked before going up the mountain.

"Hmm," Daruk hummed as he nodded.

"So, back to what's botherin' ya." As she expected, the Goron gave her a dirty look in response to her prod. It was nice to know that no matter how much his speech degraded, he would always be the same lovable Goron.

"Yer impossible."

"What else is new?" she asked with a raised brow. She grinned when he just shook his head. "So, back to the question at hand."

"Like I was sayin," he muttered, this time content to not correct himself, "I'm glad that the village is gonna be okay, and I'm glad my grandson is steppin' up, but…" The Goron was quiet for a long time, even so, Urbosa didn't prod, choosing instead to wait for him to continue on his own. "There's a part of me, and I know this sounds awful, but there's a part of me that's… not so happy that things are goin' okay."

"What's so awful about that?" She knew him as well as she knew the others. Though she rarely pulled her punches when she teased them, she understood them well. Daruk took pleasure in his abilities, not just his strength but his talents as a leader as well. To see that his home no longer had need of those talents was likely crushing for him.

"I should feel better, but…"

"It feels bittersweet, doesn't it?"

"Yeah," he sighed as he scratched at his beard. "It makes me think about what's gonna happen after all this. Will there be any place in Hyrule fer me when Ganon is gone?"

"Sending Ganon back to whatever pit he crawled out of is only the start," Urbosa said.

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, in case you hadn't noticed, Hyrule is in shambles. We have a crumbling infrastructure, no standing army, in fact, there's barely any unity between the five races as far as I can tell. Zelda's going to need all the help she can get if she's to rebuild."

"That's a good point," Daruk responded, his former confidence beginning to break through. "Ya said there's no army… Maybe I could whip some Hylians inta shape!"

"Why Hylians?"

"I dunno why but for some reason, Hylians these days seem so weak. The Little Guy's the only one who seems to have any stones at all. They're gonna need some serious training if we have any hope of having a halfway decent army, though," he continued as he stroked his facial hair thoughtfully, "I betcha I could get the other races in shape too."

"I'm sure you can. Shall I leave you to develop your training regimen?"

"Nah. I think it's time Revali and I had a chat."

Urbosa was relieved to hear it. That morning, just a few short hours after Link and Daruk had returned, Revali had returned from his isolation. What interested her more than his timely return was his pattern of behavior. He would only act out when the Goron Champion was paying attention, and when he wasn't, Revali would sulk quietly, not even having any quips for Link. "Glad to hear it."

"Before I go, you should tell me what happened with Dinraal."

"I don't know why, but neither of us could do anything. Revali's attacks did nothing. It was all I could do to drive him away before he killed him."

"So, he's takin' the loss pretty hard?"

"That would be the understatement of the century."

"Ya sure about that one?"

"He asked Kass if he'd still have a home with the rest of the Rito."

"Understatement of the century then," Daruk agreed with a sigh. She nodded, for once taking the matter completely seriously. She had no doubts that if Revali suffered anymore stress, he would abandon them to do something horrendously reckless. "So, Revali's problem aside, we gotta find a way to free Dinraal."

"I may have an idea about that," Urbosa mused. She had spent a great deal of time thinking about the particular problem they had faced. The infection had progressed to the point where ordinary attacks couldn't do a thing. To her, that just meant that they didn't have the right tools for the job. "Do you remember the sword that Rhoam mentioned back on the Plateau?"

"Uh… no."

"He called it the Blade of Evil's Bane. Being able to wield it was apparently a part of why Link was named Champion."

"So, you think this sword might be able to do the trick?"

"With a name like that, I can't imagine it wouldn't be able to."

"Fair point. I should probably refrain from letting Revali know," Daruk muttered as he stood up and turned back towards the camp. "By the way," he said as he stopped and looked at her over his shoulder, "thanks for listenin' to me ramble."

"Just returning the favor," she replied with a smile. She nodded to the Goron as he made his way back down to the others. She remained where she was; however, her gaze was fixated on the castle, where her little bird remained caged.

Though she knew that what she said to Daruk earlier had been the truth, it was something she was having trouble accepting herself. Ideally, she and Daruk had a number of years left before their time came, but even so, they were still quickly becoming a part of Hyrule's past. There would come a time where the two would have no choice but to pass on the torch.

Knowing was a thing, accepting and even promoting it was a much different, much harder thing. A part of her argued that she would always need to be around because they would always need her, but she knew that wasn't true. One day, she would be more of a hindrance than anything.

She shook herself, dispelling her doubts for the time being. It would do her no good to worry about it now.

"Lady Urbosa, may I speak with you for a moment?"

"Ah, just the bard I was looking for," Urbosa replied as Kass joined her.

"You were looking for me?"

"About to. Were your ears burning?"

"What? Is that a saying among the Gerudo?"

"Never mind," she muttered. "What did you need?"

"My question is not very important, so perhaps it sh- "

"Mine is about the Blade of Evil's Bane. I've got a feeling that will take a while, so why don't you start?" She had a feeling that once she proposed her idea, there would be little room for Kass' question.

"The Master Sword? Ah… my question was not so pertinent." She responded by raising a brow and motioning for him to continue. "I know this is not really any of my concern, but may I ask about the relationship between Lady Mipha and Master Link?"

"I think you already know," she replied with a pointed look.

"I just needed to confirm it."

"And what is it to you?"

"My teacher… he used to tell me about how the Princess of Hyrule only had eyes for her knight. I just worry that Lady Mipha may be hurt when he remembers that."

"How do you know that the feeling was mutual?"

"I suppose I always just assumed that it was. I hope that no one gets hurt. Wounds of the heart always heal slowly," he said with a downcast face.

"That they do, but I don't think Mipha is the one you should worry about," she murmured quietly.

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I've seen how he interacts with other women," she replied. The Hylian Champion had a draw to him that attracted women like flowers did bees. Whenever they entered a town or stable, it wouldn't be long before she noticed the women around him were sending him secretive glances. Some even worked up the nerve to come speak to him, but no matter what method they used to draw his attention, he never noticed.

Mipha, on the other hand, could tell him where to sit, and he would do so with minimal protest. He also was hyper-aware of her needs, striving to keep them near water sources and keeping her well supplied with materials for her elixirs. He went out of his way to care for them all, but Mipha very clearly received more of his effort than any of the rest of them. "Is that all you had to ask?"

"It is. So, what was it that you wanted to know about the Master Sword?"

"Do you think it would help us fight Dinraal?"

"Yes, I believe so, but finding it is going to be a challenge all its own. I can only guess where the Princess placed it after Link fell. I believe it to be in the… "

Neither the Gerudo Champion nor the Bard was aware of the pair of eyes that watched and listened from afar.

* * *

 

"Revali!" Daruk called as he wandered into Revali's makeshift camp. He scratched his chin discontentedly as he looked around. Urbosa had told him that the Rito Champion had been isolating himself, but a completely different camp was a bit extreme.

"What do you want?" Revali snapped as he landed, rustling the nearby plants with the breeze he had created.

"Where were ya?"

"Am I now required to inform you of my whereabouts at all times?"

Daruk frowned as he sized up the Rito Champion. He knew Revali had been upset, but his hand trailing on his bow was a bit extreme. "I just wanted ta talk. You're clearly havin' a rough few days."

"And why do you care? Just worried I won't be able to keep up during a fight?"

"Nah. I know you're more than able ta –"

"Because I can assure you that nothing, not even one of you, stands a chance against me." Daruk frowned at being cut off. Though he was no stranger to consistently interrupting or being interrupted, there had been unspoken rules stating when and when it was not okay to do so. Even the Rito Champion, haughty as he was, had respected those rules.

"Good thing we won't have –"

"Furthermore, if any of you try to- "

Revali yelped as Daruk gave him a controlled slap on the back. "Quit interruptin' me," he rumbled as the Rito shot him a death glare. "Do ya really think we're gonna try and attack ya or somethin'?"

"I wouldn't put it past any of you," he growled.

"Stop," Daruk muttered as he began scratching his chin. "You and I both know that if we were gonna do anything to ya, it woulda been back on the Plateau. The fact that we still think of ya as one of us –" he raised his hand again warningly as Revali tried to interrupt him again, "- should tell ya that we're not even gonna leave ya behind."

"And how do I know I can believe that?"

"I'm here right now aren't I?"

"Your point?"

"Would I be here if I didn't care about ya?" Daruk asked. He wasn't quite sure where the disconnect was. He had left the main camp to find Revali's own personal camp that was further away than he was comfortable with. The Rito might be able to close the gap quickly, but he and the others would be hard pressed to get to him if anything happened.

"I think you care about what you've always cared about: making sure that each and every one of us acts like good little soldiers that do whatever you tell us to."

"What gave ya that idea?"

"Oh, don't pretend I haven't already figured it out," Revali said bitterly. "All you want is someone to carry your little Hylian pet up to Dinraal when he finally gets his hands on that fancy sword."

Daruk's eyes widened at the mention of the Master Sword. He had been planning on leaving that bit out of the conversation. "That's not important right now. What's important is that you stop being so hard on yerself."

"Hard on myself?!"

"Yeah. You act like one loss is the end of everything, but it's not. You'll get a second shot at Dinraal, and when ya do, I know you'll crush him!"

"If I choose to fight Dinraal again," Revali muttered as he turned his back to the Goron.

"Whaddya mean?"

"I'm tired of being the solution to every little problem you all have. Every time that idiot boy overextends himself, I'm just expected to come to his rescue. Whenever Mipha doesn't have the ingredients she needs, who has to go and get them?"

The Goron Champion refrained from reminding the agitated Rito that Link was usually the one that had to go bug hunting for the Zora Princess. Mipha had only made the mistake of asking Revali once, and he had made such a fuss about it that the Zora Princess had never asked him for help again.

"What? No answer?"

"I think that yer overthinkin' here. Each of us has a part to play," Daruk reminded him. "Sometimes that means yer gonna have to do more than the rest, but ya also have ta remember that there have been times where we had to carry ya around."

"You can go now."

"We're not finishe –"

Revali propelled himself in the air, leaving Daruk to call after him. No matter how loudly he called, the Rito Champion wouldn't come back down, choosing instead to stay in the sky above where no else could reach him.

"Well that coulda gone better," he sighed as he watched Revali circle above.

* * *

 

"So, what were you two up to?" Urbosa asked as Link and Mipha returned to the camp.

"W-we were practicing our swimming," Mipha replied quickly, hoping the answer would deflect any further questioning. She had a feeling though that Urbosa wouldn't be deterred. Her smile was a little too knowing for that.

It had indeed started as practice, more for Link's sake than anything else. While he was an exceptional swimmer by Hylian standards, his ability to move through the water was like a muscle. It had to be consistently worked in order to remain strong. So, she had genuinely been trying to work with him to help him keep in shape, or she had been until Link had tapped her and informed her in no uncertain terms that she was it. The end result had been a very one-sided game of tag.

Though Link was a strong swimmer, he was still only a Hylian. He hadn't stood a chance as she indulged him in his little game, swimming circles around him nearly the entire time. She had of course been a gracious participant and had let him get in a few "lucky shots." Even so, Link had clearly been outmatched, but if he cared, he hadn't shown it.

"Practicing your swimming, you say?"

"Yep," Link answered.

"Yes… I'm sure you two weren't messing around at all, were you?"

Mipha hung her head, disappointed in herself for slacking off, even if it was only for a moment.

"Oh stop. We all need to let off steam somehow. I'm sure you two were just taking a break from the constant stress by flirting in the water."

"I hate to interrupt, but should we tell them about what we discussed earlier," Kass murmured. The Bard looked extraordinarily uncomfortable for some reason.

"Right," Urbosa muttered, giving him a sharp look. "Before we go to the Rito Village, we're going to make a brief stop."

"A stop?"

"Yes. Kass believes there's something we need in the Great Hyrule Forest."

"Yes. I believe it is- " the Bard stopped short as Urbosa made a quick gesture, "- where we'll find what we're looking for," he finished awkwardly.

Mipha sent a quick glance between the two, not really sure what was going on.

"I think we should start picking up the pace," Urbosa continued, "I don't know how much time we have left before Zelda's power will fade away, and we still have weeks of traveling left, and that's not including freeing Dinraal and Farosh."

Link and Mipha both nodded to the Gerudo Champion.

"So, that means that you're going to have to reduce the time you guys are… 'training,' understand?"

Mipha sighed again. Trying to worm her way out of Urbosa's teasing was a surefire way to make it much, much worse. It was far better to take it and keep her head down. Eventually, the Gerudo Champion would become distracted by someone else.

"Oh, don't look so glum," Urbosa said with a grin. "We're not going anywhere until tomorrow, so you two have the rest of the day to continue… what did they call it?" she asked as she gave Kass a mock, questioning gaze. "Oh, right. Training."

The Gerudo Champion chuckled as she and Kass left to find Daruk.

"Sometimes, I wish she would… Link, are you all right?" The Hylian Champion had sat down on a log and was rubbing his head, his face pinched tight in concentration.

"The Great Hyrule Forest," he muttered, "why does that mean something?"

"Maybe you've been there before."

"Maybe."

"Well, maybe we should just worry about it when we get there," she murmured as she set a hand on his shoulder.

"You're right," he murmured as his hand moved to cover hers. She stared at his hand, unsure of what to make of the unusual response. His eyes turned to meet hers, staring deep into her with his bright, blue orbs. "There's something I think you should know," he said slowly.

"Yes?" she asked nervously.

"When we left off, I was it," he continued as he gave her hand a brief pat with his own, "you're it," he said.

With no warning, the Hylian leaped to his feet and raced away, spurring Midna into a mad dash after him. Mipha blinked repeatedly, trying to process what had just happened. She wondered what had happened up on Death Mountain that would have caused Link to behave the way he was, but she could come up with nothing. So, she set her concerns aside as she began her chase. She was at a small disadvantage on land and giving him the opportunity to cross half of Hyrule would certainly not help her chances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun endings are fun


	23. The Master Sword

"… Apparently, there was a second war that he fought, though Kass wasn't able to get that far," Mipha sighed discontentedly.

Link grunted quietly as he hauled both of them up the tower. He had intended to go up alone, but after Mipha had heard about some of the stunts that he and Daruk had pulled on Death Mountain, she hadn't let him out of her sight. It was her usual response to his ridiculously reckless nature that had formed during his childhood. He would attempt some "heroic feat" as people liked to call it, and when she heard of it, she would stick much closer to him than normal. Then, after the incident would blow over, she'd slowly start letting him have his space back, only for him to attempt another impossible feat. It was like a child's toy that went back and forth.

It wasn't really a bother to him. He understood that even though the vast majority of the time there was nothing she could do, the constancy of seeing him not doing anything too daring was a relief to her. The Hylian was also sure she understood that if she were to truly tie his hands, then he would wind himself tighter than any spring, eventually snapping and doing something that would get him killed.

It wasn't a perfect system, but it was definitely workable.

"I'm sorry if I am boring you," she murmured.

"You're not," he replied as he let them down on one of the many platforms that scaled the Tower. "So, what was his name?"

"I don't know. Kass never said. Oh!" she started excitedly as her face lit up, "I think you'll like this one. He told me a story about a fox who can walk and talk like we can. He could shoot and he even piloted a device similar to the Divine Beasts –"

Link listened silently as she continued to relay another of the stories Kass had told her. Apparently, the fox was accompanied by a frog, a dog, and other various creatures that shouldn't have been able to perform half the deeds she said they did.

He didn't know if it was the absurdity of her claims, or maybe she just lacked the ability to weave words into a beautifully told story. Either way, he was having a difficult time grasping what it was she was trying to tell him.

"- I think I am butchering this," she sighed.

"Probably," Link murmured apologetically. He had overheard snippets of one of the Bard's many tales, and the way she was telling him sounded nothing like Kass.

"I'm sorry."

"I'll just ask him about it later," he said as he crouched down again as Mipha took her place on his back.

"That is a good idea," she agreed as he began taking them back up the tower. "I know how much you love animals."

He grinned as they continued to progress up the Tower.

"So, why did you volunteer to activate this Tower when Revali could have done it in a few minutes?"

"Didn't think it was a good idea to ask," he grunted. Though he was stronger than he had been, climbing with Mipha clinging to him was still a challenge, especially since they had already ascended three-fourths of its height.

"I suppose not. Do you think there is anything we can do to help him?"

"I don't know." He was under the personal impression that he should avoid drawing the Rito's attention as much as possible. More than ever, it felt like the Rito Champion was on the cusp of leaving them entirely. He didn't much care for Revali, but he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they needed him.

"I hope he doesn't do anything foolish," Mipha said worriedly.

"He's got an ego the size of Death Mountain, but he's not an idiot."

"You are not either, but we both know that you are prone to reckless actions, especially when you are struggling emotionally."

Link frowned as he realized that she had a point. He supposed that was one of his greatest faults. "… Yeah…"

"You know, it is not a bad thing to feel."

"Even when all you feel is pain?" He regretted the question as soon as he asked, and not just because he knew it was foolish. The way it had come out was not exactly a shining example of how to respond to people when they held out a hand.

"Even then," Mipha replied quietly. "Pain is a part of living no matter how little we may like it, but we don't have to let that be the only thing we feel. There are good things too." He felt her eyes boring into his back. "You know that no matter what, I will always be there for you, right?"

"I know. I still wish there were some things we could do without though."

"If wishes were fishes…"

"… We'd have a school," Link finished, a slight sour note creeping into his response. He'd always hated that saying.

He thought Mipha must have been able to sense his disquiet as she said nothing for a long moment. "Do you remember the time that Muzu followed us up to the Veiled Falls?"

"Not really." The event sounded familiar, but he couldn't recall any specifics.

"Well, he was upset that I was constantly 'sneaking out' to meet you all the time, so he followed me up to the Veiled Falls one day, and dragged us both back to my father… he was absolutely livid…"

"Muzu?"

"No, my father, though Muzu was displeased as well."

"With me?" Link asked nervously. He wasn't sure what he could have done to offend the Zora King. As far as he had known, Mipha had always checked with her father before they went on their excursions.

"With Muzu," Mipha replied. "I think that was one of their worst fights."

Link frowned to himself. It wasn't that he lacked interest, he just couldn't figure out what the point in telling him was.

"They were shouting so loudly that the Zora Knights barged into the room looking for the threat," Mipha giggled quietly.

"I see…"

"Oh, but it gets better. The Bazz Brigade, who were 'sworn enemies' of Muzu, freaked out when they saw him hauling us to see my father and were waiting nearby. When they saw the Knights charge, they followed, tripping over each other while they were swinging their wooden spears around, shouting about some attack…"

Link was beginning to have some trouble maintaining his grip on the tower between the spasms that wracked his chest and the ones that were affecting Mipha.

"… So of course, Seggin, who was the first in the throne room, was horrendously embarrassed to see his son hollering and waving a wooden spear around, which started another round of arguing. So, Muzu was frazzled as he was trying to hold his own against Seggin and my father, and the Bazz Brigade looked like they were torn between anger at what had happened and fear of what would happen to them, and then Sidon showed up."

"…" Link gave a final grunt as he brought them over the edge and set Mipha down. He then plopped down on the floor of the Tower, still trying to contain his mirth.

"Sidon, the glutton for attention that he was, kept bouncing around the room, egged on by all of the arguing as just about everyone in the room was shouting at everyone else. One second, he'd be shouting at Muzu, then the next he'd be shouting at Seggin, back to Muzu, then with the Bazz Brigade. The thing is, he had no idea what was actually going on, so he just made it up as he went. Muzu and Seggin would be arguing, then Sidon would break in, trying to convince everyone that Carp was the best-tasting fish."

Link had to cover his mouth so that Mipha could finish. He was still having trouble picturing the scene, but he had no doubt that such a thing had happened considering what he could remember of his time in the Domain.

"To top it all off, my father went from being more upset than I've ever seen him to more confused than Sidon when you would steal his food while he wasn't looking. After a few minutes of the chaos, my father just sighed and told us to go back to the Veiled Falls. Neither Seggin nor Muzu would tell me what happened after that," she sighed.

"We're we really that crazy?"

"Yes," she replied sadly, "but things started to change after you left to join the Hylian Knights. You became quieter, more reserved."

The Hylian Champion sighed. He had no idea what had happened in his time away from the Domain, only that whatever had happened had caused him to start shutting down.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"No… but I hope to."

"You do?"

"I'm not really looking forward too remembering, but I think I should. If I don't remember, then I might not learn what I need to."

"Just promise me something."

He gave her a questioning look.

"Don't go back to the way you were. I don't like seeing you like that."

"I'll do my best," he murmured.

He got up and set the Slate in the terminal, walking towards the ledge that looked over a large forest while he waited for the map to be updated. It was covered by a thick blanket of fog that only began to dissipate at the very edges of the forest.

"Do you suppose it is really there?"

"I think so," Link replied as continued staring at the mass of green shrouded by white.

"I cannot believe she made it this far by herself, and in so little time," Mipha murmured. Though Mipha had respect for most, it generally didn't sound in her voice quite the way it did now. "I don't think I could have done it."

"Neither could I."

Link turned back as he heard the Slate pop back out of the pedestal. He took it and checked the updated map. Aside from the forest below, there was nothing else remarkable about the region.

"So," he said as he walked to the opposite edge, "how far do you think I can fall before I have to pull out my paraglider?"

"Link…"

"I think I could- "

"Link."

"- make it down pretty far. Imagine how fast- "

"Link!"

* * *

Midna couldn't keep her hackles from raising as they stepped into the woods. She had hoped to never see this cursed place again. No matter how far she and her former pack had traveled into the woods, they would always wind up back at the entrance, but that wasn't the worst part.

The worst parts were the faces that lurked at the edges of her vision. They remained at the edges of her vision, but their distance offered no comfort as the hungry maws reached for her with broken, gnarled hands. Every time she tried to look directly at them, they faded back into the dead white that covered everything.

Perhaps the most frightening thing was that the forest didn't smell of death and decay as it should have, but rather, it smelled of life. Places that smelled so full of lush plant and wildlife shouldn't look so dead.

Her head whipped around, ready to tear at whatever had just touched her back. She whimpered slightly as Brother's hand narrowly retracted in time. If he wasn't as fast as he was, she would have mauled his hand. Even though Sister's powers would have taken care of it, not even leaving a scar, she still would have felt terribly guilty about it. He had been the most accepting of her and she didn't want to repay that kindness with a bite.

Seeing him again did bring some comfort, as did the sound of Speaker's voice. She didn't think she'd much like the air walker as the Chicken was nearly intolerable, but he had treated her as one of the others, something she appreciated greatly. The wolf didn't care much for the strange noisemaker he had, nor for his brightly colored coat, but his voice was quite pleasant. Its smooth, deep tones had a calming effect on her. Especially when he used it in his own special way.

It was like howling, and yet completely different. Rather than drowning out the surrounding noise, he usually did it quietly. Rather than to announce his presence, it was like he was trying to convey some deep, intimate message. Whereas a howl was usually one drawn-out sound, his voice changed pitch, rising and falling while still connected. She couldn't begin to understand how he did it, but it was beautiful all the same.

The others asked Speaker many questions, many of which he shook his head to, much to her dismay. She had hoped that he would be their guide if they had to come, but it looked like he was going to be as lost as they were.

They all exchanged an uncertain glance, renewing her hope that they would leave the awful place far behind. That was until Brother said something firmly and started walking forward.

All around her the others started following him. She tried to move after him, but her legs refused to budge. She remained frozen in place as their figures started to disappear into the fog.

It was the thought of being left alone with the faces, and the terror that brought her, that finally unlocked her legs, causing her to bound forward much faster than she meant to. She nearly crashed into the ground as she finally caught up to brother and tried to stop too fast. Under normal circumstances, she would have been ashamed, but she was far too nervous to care.

She began growling as the fog attacked them from all sides, obscuring even Brother from her sight. The last thing she heard was the sound of a great wind, and then everything disappeared into a white sea.

* * *

Link brought his hand up to shield his eyes from the light. Despite its low intensity, it still made his eyes throb after the fog. He slowly lowered his hand to find one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. Where once had been fog and an endless expanse of dead trees was now a lush forest with every shade of green he could imagine. The deep green of leaves against the healthy brown of bark, the light green of grass that almost verged on yellow.

Green was far from the only color. Blues, purples, pinks, and yellows tinted the flowers that grew around the edges of the path they found themselves on. All manner of insects buzzed around them, and even small wildlife went about their business, unconcerned by their new audience.

"This place is beautiful," Mipha said to one in particular.

"That it is," Urbosa agreed.

"Can we just do what we came here to do?" Revali grumbled as he began walking down the path.

Link ignored Revali as he knelt down, setting a hand on the terrified wolf next to him. Midna was looking all around them, her head snapping to look back at him as he ran his hand along her back. He gave her a reassuring smile and a firm nod. The wolf still looked to be at her wit's end, but she at least quit growling incessantly.

He stood back up and followed after the Rito Champion, who had wandered far ahead.

"Incredible. I never thought I would be able to see what lay at the heart of this place." Kass was looking all around him, trying to commit as much of the place to memory as he could.

"We should catch up to Revali," Daruk muttered, urging everyone to speed up as they rounded a corner and entered a hollowed-out log. The remains of the tree were so large that even the Goron Champion wasn't forced to crouch as they stepped inside. When they finally reached the other side of the tree they had entered a small clearing.

"What is this place?" Mipha whispered as they stepped into the clearing. It was quiet, almost too quiet.

"That, right there!" Kass said excitedly. "That's –"

Link stopped listening as his eyes settled on the object in the center of the clearing. There was a stone dais in the shape of a triangle, and in the center, underneath what had to be the largest tree in Hyrule, was a blade planted deep into the stone. The hilt was a royal purple with a thin green ribbon wrapped around it. The blade, from what little of it he could see, was plain looking except for the symbol of the royal family that was engraved just above the hilt.

"Link?"

The Hylian Champion kept moving, even passing Revali as the blade drew him towards itself. Everything around him ceased to exist, save for the blade that lay before him. Onto the dais, with his hand outstretched.

"It has been a long time, young one," a voice boomed.

The spell broke all at once, leaving his hand just a few centimeters from the blade.

"I may have guarded this place for eons, but even my patience has its limits." Link looked around quickly for the source. It sounded like it was coming from in front of him, but the only thing there was the tree. On a whim, his gaze traveled up the trunk of the massive plant until he saw a face.

"I see you do not remember me. I am the Great Deku Tree."

Link shrugged apologetically as the name failed to bring anything to the surface.

"I see that your Princess was right to have as much faith in you as she does. I was not sure you would find your way here without your memory of this place, but I see that you all are doing just fine on your own."

Link nodded.

"So, am I to assume that you have returned for the Master Sword?"

He nodded again.

"That is good; however, seeing as you do not remember, I will give you the same warning I gave you the last time. The Blade itself is a test. If you are unprepared, attempting to draw it will kill you. Make sure you are ready."

Link's gaze shifted from the tree back down to the sword that beckoned. He was ready to die if that's what was required of him, but he wasn't ready to throw his life away like he had been in the beginning. His duty still beckoned and had requirements, one of which could be everything, but other people needed him to. Daruk, Urbosa, Zelda, Mipha… even Revali. They all needed him. To kill himself in a fruitless effort to prove something was a fool's errand. One that he would regret from whatever afterlife he would inhabit.

"You have changed. There was a time where the threat of death would not have caused you to pause, yet I do not sense any hesitation in you."

"I want to make sure I'm ready," he muttered.

"…?"

He could sense the Tree before him had an unspoken question, but he didn't have time for it. There wasn't time for indecisiveness, nor was there time for idle chatter. Zelda and the others needed him, if that meant risking his life once again, then he would do so.

And if he was no longer strong enough, he would just power through. He would pull the Blade through sheer will alone if he had to.

His resolve steeled, he reached out to take hold of the Sacred Blade.

Link felt his heart stop as soon as he made contact with the Blade. Even so, he didn't draw back. Instead, he gripped the hilt more firmly and began to pull it. When his determination refused to waver as his lungs failed to draw breath and his vision faded. He kept his gaze on the Sword as it began to glow, refusing to back down even as it drained his life away.

His muscles screamed as he continued heaving even as he felt himself dying. He thought his jaw might crack as he clenched it, fighting with all his will to cling on even as his heart and lungs remained immobile. His hands stayed firmly in place as he thought of each of his friends, feeling his willpower bolstered as he held each of their faces in his mind's eye.

The Blade gleamed brighter.

With one last, silent shout, he heaved with what little of his strength remained. He heard a faint scraping sound as the Blade gave way. No sooner had the Blade came free, then Link's strength returned to him as though nothing had transpired. His heartbeat on, his lungs expanded like nothing had forced them to stop in the first place.

_He held the Blade before him, awed by the way it caught the light. He closed his eyes as he raised it skyward as he heard a murmuring at the back of his mind. As he held the blade up, the whispering became louder until the din of it drowned everything else out._

* * *

" _Link, please! You're at your limit! You have to run while you still can!"_

The Hylian Champion grunted as he shoved the Master Sword into the earth, using it to support his weight as he forced himself to his unsteady feet. He didn't feel the pain from the bruises, from the scrapes, from the burns that covered him. His body was numb, only responding to his stubbornness as he took up a defensive stance.

The world was on fire. Where once, healthy fields stretched as far as the eye could see, now there was fire and the remains of broken Guardians. Smoke hindered his vision, forcing him to rely on the mechanical whirring emanating from the Guardians to know where the danger was.

It was everywhere.

"Link, please…"

He couldn't even muster the strength to send a reassuring smile over his shoulder as he nearly collapsed again. He knew she would feel guilty when he fell as she already blamed herself for the others, but he wouldn't abandon her, no matter how grim the odds and how broken he was.

After all, she was all he had left.

The two broken Guardians in front of him rattled as a still functioning machine pulled itself on top of them. Its single eye focused on him while it began charging its laser as he tried to raise the Master Sword. The Blade looked ready to snap, with the deep nicks and rust that covered it from tip to hilt. His arms remained limp, barely able to hold onto the sacred blade.

He heard a desperate "no!" before he suddenly found himself on the ground, staring up at the darkened sky above. At the edges of his vision, he could just make out a golden glow and the muddled sounds of metal clanging into the earth.

Everything was going cold as Zelda's tear stain face appeared above him. "Just hold on," she choked out.

He wanted to tell her that it was going to be okay. That the others would be fine. That there was still hope. That Ganon could still be beaten. Most of all, he wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault.

All he managed was a weak cough and a pained grimace.

_Link shook his head as he looked down at himself, limp and broken in Zelda's arms. He knelt down beside her and tried to set a hand on her shoulder, but it went through. He sat there, staring dumbly as a familiar, webbed hand touched his forearm gently. He turned back to find Mipha, who looked to be struggling to hold back tears._

" _This is known as an illusory realm," Zelda's voice murmured_ _, "a world created from the memories of the creator._ _After you fell, the spirit that resides in the Sword held onto these memories, so you could understand."_

"He can still be saved?"

_Everyone looked back to Zelda, watching the young Princess in her tattered white gown as the first signs of hope surfaced on her face._

"Princess!" two Sheikah called as they sprinted up and fell into a hasty kneel. She turned to look at them, too determined to even be surprised by their appearance.

"Get him to the Shrine of Resurrection! His life, everyone's, depend on you now."

The Master Sword flashed, drawing the Princess' attention. "Wait," she commanded as she reached towards the unconscious Hylian Champion. From around his neck, she removed a simple brown leather necklace with a golden medallion. "Take him. Quickly."

Zelda watched as the Sheikah picked her friend up and began rushing away. As much as she wanted to see them safely to the Shrine, there was something she had to do. She held the medallion up, causing it light up and consume everything in a bright flash of light.

_Daruk, Urbosa, and Link all exchanged a somber glance while Mipha only stared at the Hylian Champion. Revali was determined to stare at nothing in general. Link felt his fists clench as he replayed what had just happened in his mind._

_He had left her all alone, forcing her to carry fullness of both their responsibilities. It was shameful, even if he had fallen trying to protect her._

The light faded to reveal the Great Deku Tree and the Master Sword's resting place.

"Princess Zelda?" the Tree asked.

She nodded shakily and proffered the Master Sword to him.

"Place it in the pedestal. There, it will be able to repair itself."

Zelda strode forward purposefully until she was just above the pedestal in which the Sword had rested. She carefully set the blade in and pushed downwards. The sacred Blade glowed blue as it settled back in its place.

"What will you do now?" the Guardian of the Forest asked.

"I will buy them time. As much as I can," she replied. "Their memories will likely be affected by their slumber, but I know that he… that they will find their way here. When they do, tell them I – "

"I would think," the Tree interrupted calmly, "that whatever you have to say would sound better in the tones of your own voice, wouldn't you agree?"

"… Thank you," the Princess replied with a tear-filled smile.

"Are you sure you are ready to face Ganon alone?"

"I am."

"Then time is of the essence," the Tree murmured quietly. "I can send you to the foot of Hyrule Castle. There, you will find the beast. I will also be taking back the medallion. He will need it when he returns."

"Thank you," she replied. She looked down at the sword in front of her as she set a hand on it. "Don't worry. Your master will come for you."

"Are you ready?"

"I am."

"I shall pray for your success, Princess of Destiny."

Again, a bright light surrounded her as she was whisked away.

_Link closed his eyes as the landscape changed again. It was painful to watch as a friend had to shoulder the weight of the world because he had been too weak. He forced his eyes open, knowing that there was still more to be seen. The images were flowing almost to fast to process, but he'd take from them what he could._

Hyrule's last Champion strode out of the light, and into the ruins of Castle Town. She took a moment to take in what was left of her once great kingdom. What had once been a flourishing city was now a wasteland, trampled by the machines that had been created to protect it.

Above her, circling around the Castle was Ganon.

"You think you have already won, don't you?" she asked as she stepped over the broken roads, making her way towards the being that had almost taken everything from her. "They still live, and when they awaken, they will come for you… for us."

The Beast roared as it spotted her, altering its course to intercept her.

_Zelda looked down at the back of her hands, where three golden triangles glowed with a blessed light. She raised her palm as a golden light blotted their vision._

* * *

" _What you saw were the memories she deemed important for you to see," the Deku Tree said as the vision faded away, leaving Link still holding the Master Sword above his head. He lowered the weapon, letting it hang by his side as he bowed his head. He had failed last time, but he had a second chance. He made a silent vow to see his duty through this time, no matter the cost._

He sheathed the Master Sword in the scabbard that had appeared on his back and looked back up at the Deku Tree.

"You have grown weak," the Tree mused as it gazed at him. "There was a time when you could have pulled that Blade easily." The Guardian of the Forest let a thoughtful silence pass. "Yes, you are indeed weaker, and yet I sense a strength in you that was not there before. How funny that when the body is ready, the heart is not, and when the heart is ready, the body is not."

"…?"

"When you have regained your former strength, use this to return to me," the Tree answered as something materialized around Link's neck. He pulled it out to find the same medallion that had warped Zelda to the grove they stood in. "That is a Travel Medallion. It was designed to instantly return the bearer to this place."

"Thank you," Link replied as he replaced the medallion beneath his tunic.

"Thank me by sealing the Calamity away once again. I may have power at my disposal, but if Ganon is let loose, not even I will be able to keep this place safe."

Link gave a firm nod.

"Now then, my children have prepared lodgings for you, should you require rest."

' _Children?'_ Link glanced around the forest, curious as to who the Tree's children could be. None of the smaller trees around him looked quite like the massive tree at the center of the grove. It wasn't until he saw a familiar, leafy mustache on a bark-like face.

"Hestu?"

"I was waiting for you to notice me!" Hestu huffed. "Did you find any more of my seeds?"

Link shook his head apologetically.

"He can see Hestu?"

"Hey wait. Doesn't he look like that hero that came to draw the Sword last time?"

"He is! He is!"

The glade was suddenly filled with Hestu-like creatures, albeit much smaller, only coming up to his knees. They surrounded him, all clamoring for his attention at once.

"Welcome back, Mr. Hero!" one of them called.

"Have you come to save us?" another asked.

"Hey, hey, watch this!" another cried as he swung a small twig around like a weapon.

"Now, calm down," the Deku Tree boomed, cutting through the din of the Koroks' voices. "You must forgive them. We rarely get visitors, and ones who can see them even more rarely still."

Link just shrugged. He wasn't really sure what else he could say or do.

"Now then, are you in need of rest?"

"I think we'll be okay," Daruk called from behind Link. "It's still early and I think we should make our way to the Rito Village."

"A wise plan," the Tree agreed. "I will send you to the edge of the Forest."

"Can't you send us to the Rito Village?" Urbosa asked.

"… I cannot," the Tree answered. "Farewell, Champions and may the Goddess be with you until we meet again."

Link turned around and rejoined his companions as mist collected around them the same way it had before. The Hylian Champion sent one last look over his shoulder, remembering all that Zelda had shown him as mist obscured his vision. He committed the images to memory, using them to reignite the fires that had almost died.

He closed his eyes as he felt the earth beneath him shift. When he opened his eyes, they were standing at the edge of the forest.

He looked at everyone around him. Urbosa rubbed her temples as she stared at the ground, Revali had turned away from them all as he visibly shook, and Mipha stared straight ahead with an unseeing gaze. Daruk exchanged a glance with him before shaking Urbosa lightly.

"You okay?" The Goron asked.

"… yes…"

"Mipha?" Link asked quietly as he set a hand on the Zora's shoulder. Her amber eyes focused on him and she opened her mouth, but nothing came out as she stared at him blankly.

"Maybe we should have stayed and rested," Daruk muttered quietly.

"No… some of us needed to get away from there, I think," Urbosa mumbled as she covered her eyes with a hand.

"Maybe you're right. Well… I think we should get going while there's still some daylight left. The Rito- "

"No."

Everyone looked at Revali.

"Why bother going there? You'll all be useless as it is."

"Now hold on a minute," Daruk replied, "even if there's nothing any of us can do – "

"You'll what?" the Rito asked scornfully. "Do you really think there's anything you can do? Not even your _hero_ can reach Medoh. Tell me something," Revali growled as he whirled to face Link, "How does it feel knowing you failed? How does it feel, being the only one that doesn't belong with the rest of us?"

"Feathers!"

"I don't need you," Revali continued, completely ignoring Urbosa as he stepped closer to Link. "Maybe if you were a real hero, I could find some use in you, but all you are is a child trying to bite off more than he can chew. I'll free Medoh without you, then we'll see who the real hero is!"

"Revali… you can't," Mipha mumbled, finally finding words.

"What?" he snapped as he rounded on the Zora Champion.

"I don't want you to go alone. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt."

"Oh? You're worried about me? How comforting, coming from the consolation prize."

"What?" Mipha choked out.

"Revali!" Daruk roared. Link's eyes widened as he heard an anger in Daruk that he had never heard before. Revali again ignored the others as he stepped towards Mipha. Link tensed up, ready to intervene if it became necessary.

"Did Kass not tell you?" Revali asked with mock innocence as he leaned in, as though about to tell the Zora Champion a secret. "I heard him telling Urbosa about how Zelda only had eyes for her Knight, and apparently he reciprocated. All you are is the 'if something goes wrong.' The 'if things don't work out with her.'"

Mipha opened her mouth to say something, but again words failed her as she bowed her head, silent tears falling from her closed eyes. "I know," Mipha finally choked out as she looked back up at Revali with the most hurt expression Link had ever seen on her face.

"Pathetic," Revali muttered as he stretched his wings. "On second thought, I don't need any of you," he continued as he walked to the edge of the woods. "I'll do it myself."

"Revali," Daruk said as the Rito Champion crouched low. "Revali!"

The Rito Champion sent them one last glare over his shoulder as launched himself into the air, leaving them all to shout after him. Link only watched for a moment before he grasped Mipha's hand and began running. He felt bad as he heard the Zora Champion squeak something out. He knew that she was close to her own breaking point, but he still needed her, and more importantly, Revali would need her.

The Hylian Champion continued his sprint as the Rito Champion disappeared over the horizon. He knew that he couldn't possibly hope to catch up on foot, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This went from fun to painful way too fast.


	24. The Fall

"There's… the Stable," Kass gasped as the settlement came into view. The Bard had caught up to him and Mipha shortly after had started dragging the Zora Princess in a vain attempt to chase after Revali. He had left all of his personal effects with Daruk and Urbosa in order to fly the two Champions to the Stable where they would be able to rent a horse.

Link looked over his shoulder at Mipha. The Zora Champion was just as trapped in her own head as the last time he had checked on her.

"… almost… there!"

Link was extraordinarily glad that they were almost to their destination. He wasn't sure that Kass could take them much further considering how strained his flaps had become.

As Kass descended, Link twisted around and put his arms around Mipha. He picked her up and hopped off Kass' back, causing the Bard to wobble in the air as he lost stability.

The Hylian hit the ground hard and, despite bending his knees to absorb the impact, felt his left ankle twist uncomfortably beneath him. He shrugged off the pain as he set Mipha down and took hold of her hand, pulling her along again as he raced towards the Stable. Link could just make out the sounds of Midna barking somewhere behind him.

"I need a horse," he said to the perplexed stable head as he tossed a small purse onto the counter.

"I'll need a few minutes to- "

"Now!" Link snapped. The part of him that was still rational regretted his shortness with the man. There was no question that it was jarring to have a complete stranger sprint up and demand a horse.

"You can't just- "

Link tossed another purse onto the counter. He was glad he had grown accustomed to carrying his money in several different pouches.

The man's eyes widened as he looked at the two bundles of rupees in front of him. "A horse, you said?"

Link nodded firmly, his face tightening.

The man must have sensed his impatience, for he began moving like a man possessed. In no time at all, a chestnut brown horse was brought out. "We don't have a double saddle, so we left it off."

Link nodded. "Mipha?" he said as he turned back to his companion.

The Zora Princess didn't hear him.

"Mipha," he said more firmly. She blinked and looked at him, lucid for the first time since Revali had left. "Let me help you get on."

"…Oh… right."

Link boosted her up on the horse, helping her to position herself properly. As a Zora, her torso was disproportionately longer than her legs, forcing her to sit sidesaddle. Without a saddle though, her ability to remain astride the animal would be limited.

"I'll stay here, and… wait for the others," Kass panted as he finally rejoined them

The Hylian Champion climbed up in front of her and looked back over his shoulder. Mipha's eyes were beginning to gloss over again. "Hold on," he muttered. He felt her arms wrap around him loosely. "Tighter."

He frowned as he felt her grip tighten. While he was glad that she was responsive now, he was worried that she would slip back into whatever trance she had been in and that doing so would cause her to loosen her grip again. It was dangerous enough to fall off a horse when it was merely walking, let alone traveling at a gallop.

He tapped the horses' sides with his heels, sending the horse into a light canter. "Yah!" he shouted as he tapped a bit harder. The horse began barreling along the dirt roads as he leaned forward. He could tell that this wasn't the fastest the horse could gallop, but he was also aware that pushing her too hard this early could very well injure it, and he had a feeling that Mipha wouldn't be able to heal its wounds. He knew that use of her powers required intense concentration, and right now she was struggling to focus at all.

The Hylian contented himself with the current pace, not willing to risk the loss of the horse. He didn't know how long it would be to the next Stable, and by the time the horse they did have gave out, they would be too far along to try and make it on foot.

He kicked himself as he realized his mistake. Revali had flown West, to a section of Hyrule that they currently had no maps for. Even though he had the Slate, he could have very easily bought a map with the mare, but he had allowed himself to get caught up in the moment and had made a rookie mistake. "Stupid," he grunted callously.

He'd have to keep on until they reached the next Stable, where he could buy a map. He would also be sure to refrain from making more careless errors in the future.

Link frowned as he felt Mipha's grip beginning to loosen. He set a hand on hers, hoping that it would be enough to cause her to readjust her grip. Her grip did tighten, but now she was holding on much tighter than she had been before. He glanced at her, becoming increasingly concerned by her behavior. Link could tell that she was not at all aware of what was happening around them.

He grunted as her grip tightened again, making it difficult to breathe. As uncomfortable as it was, he was glad that her hold was overly tight as opposed to too loose. It was better for him to be in discomfort than to risk her wellbeing.

Link turned his gaze back to the road they were traveling on, listening to the breathing of the mare below him. Though it was labored, he heard the steadiness that he had been hoping to hear. Confident that the horse could handle going faster, at least for a brief period, he spurred her onwards, keeping his sights set on where Revali had disappeared.

* * *

"Whaddya mean we shouldn't chase after 'em?" Daruk asked as Urbosa continued her far from leisurely pace.

"I'm not saying we shouldn't go after them, I'm saying we shouldn't bother trying to catch up," she responded tightly as she continued along the trail. The Gerudo Champion was far from pleased with the situation they were in. Revali had abandoned them all, hellbent on proving that he didn't need any of them, and Link, always far too willing to play the part of the hero, had charged after him. The fracture had dragged Mipha and Midna into the middle of it as well, while all she and Daruk could do was hope for the best.

She hated resorting to hope alone.

"But –"

"Even if Link has already managed to get his hands on a horse, there's little to no chance that he and Mipha can catch up to Revali before something happens. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't run as fast as a horse, meaning that no matter how hard I push myself, I'll still be too late. The only thing I can change is how late I am."

"Right, so shouldn't we be movin' as fast as we can?"

"Think, Big Guy. So, if I push myself to my limits, what happens when my body gives out?"

"We'll have to stop," he conceded.

"Right. So, I don't push as hard as I can, but rather for as long as I can." She wanted to agree that they should be moving as fast they could, but now wasn't the time to throw rationality to the wind. Catching up with the fastest member among them meant thinking more critically about how exactly they gave chase.

"Shouldn't we go back and ask the Deku tree to send us to him."

"He won't," Urbosa growled. She had already considered the possibility, but then she remembered his response when Daruk had originally asked him to send them to the Rito's homeland. The pause before his response had come could have suggested that there was a reasoning behind his refusal to do so.

"So, what? We just give chase and maybe let him die?!"

"I don't like it," Urbosa muttered, hating her next words, "but I think he needs to fail."

"What?" She wasn't at all surprised by the incredulity she heard in his voice. Even as the Rito Champion had taken off and disappeared, she'd had to content herself with the thought that maybe it was for the best that he was going to do something stupid.

"There is nothing we can do to change him. The only way he'll ever learn to rely on us is to realize that he can't possibly do it all himself."

It was far from the ideal. Given more time, she was sure that they could have helped Revali to see that they genuinely cared for him and that he needed them just as much as they needed him; however, they didn't have years.

There was another method to teach him, but it was far more dangerous. It was to let him have exactly what he believed he wanted. Allow him to engage Medoh on his own and fail. It was risky, as there was a good chance that Revali wouldn't make it out alive, but if he did, it may be enough to spark a change in him. Only time would tell.

"I don't like this," Daruk replied darkly.

"I don't either," she sighed.

The Gerudo Champion hated everything about the situation. What she wanted to do was charge Hyrule Castle and free Zelda. Seeing the pain and despair written on the Princess' face had affected her more deeply than she would have thought. She had long suspected that she and the Hylian Princess had possessed a strong bond, but the sorrow and anger that had overtaken her when she had seen the memories contained within the Master Sword had surprised her.

Even so, she couldn't give in to baser instincts. There was still a great deal left to be accomplished before they could even think about confronting Ganon. She'd have to let the burning anger she felt drive her forward rather than allowing it to send her to an early grave.

"Come on, let's pick up the pace," she muttered as she began jogging. It was still a painstakingly slow pace, but it was one she knew she could keep up for hours.

"Do you think he meant what he said?"

"Which part?" she asked brusquely.

"Pretty much everything he said to Mipha and Link."

"No. He's got an attitude problem and an ego the size of Mount Lanayru, but he isn't malicious. I think he's just scared."

"Scared? Of what?"

"Who knows," she muttered. She had her theories, but right now, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was that they kept moving forward.

"I just hope he doesn't get himself killed."

"Less talking, more jogging." She began regulating her breathing after she finished speaking. Wasting time debating Revali's mental state would take effort and air; however, if she controlled her breathing and didn't waste her breath on pointless small talk, she could increase the time or the pace.

"Right." The two eldest Champions exchanged a brief nod before returning their gazes back towards the horizon. They knew their hopes of catching up to either Revali or Link and Mipha before anything happened were less than none, but they also knew that when they finally arrived, they would be needed.

* * *

She watched as Link forced his battered, broken body up using the Master Sword, still ready to fight an opponent she could not see even though he could barely stand. Seconds later, he would fall back down, too weak and injured to even stand back up. Then, the Hylian Champion would die, left all alone even as he tried to get back to his feet. Then it would repeat, the exact same as before.

Or at least, that was how it had started.

Eventually, the world around the Hylian came into view. She could make out monsters, Guardians, and even a giant boar that all attacked him relentlessly, beating him down time and time again. Through it all, Link kept getting back up. She was forced to watch as his bones were broken, his skin burned and pierced, and the life drain from his eyes. Then it would repeat.

The Zora Princess wasn't sure when she became a part of the world, but it didn't matter. No matter how hard she tried to heal him, his wounds would not disappear. No matter how she tried to shield him, his opponents took no notice of her. No matter how she tried to attack, her weapons had no effect. No matter how she called to him and held him as he passed on, he was never aware of her. Then it would repeat.

All the while, Revali was informing her that it was all her fault, derision the only thing his tone contained.

There were brief lapses in the repetition. Moments where she caught sight of a flowing landscape and Link's concerned gaze. Moments where she felt herself slipping off something that bounced beneath her and felt a familiar hand pressing on hers. The brief intervals were a welcome reprieve from the torture she had been enduring, even though they were viewed through some sort of fog.

Mipha wasn't sure which one of the two worlds was real. The one where she watched Link die time and time again, or the one where she and Link were traveling to a location unknown to her for a reason that was just as mysterious. She vaguely had memories of Revali saying something terrible, and she thought that he may have run off, but the persistent fog clouded her thoughts and memories.

She was in the middle of holding the dying Link, trying and failing miserably to heal him when she was drawn to the other world. She dully recognized Link ahead of her, as well as the uncomfortable bouncing beneath her, except it was clearer this time. Strangely enough, Link had twisted around, pulling a blanket around her. She barely registered a biting cold that would explain the action.

"What's going on?"

"Are you okay?" Link asked gently, as though worried that any force at all would hurt her.

"Here? I think I am fine."

"What?"

"You aren't really here, are you?" she asked quietly, afraid of the answer she would receive. "You are probably just an invention of my mind to help me cope with his death." She abhorred the idea, but it was the only one that made sense. There was no way Link could have survived the constant barrage of attacks she had watched him receive.

"Who's death?"

"Link's," she murmured, choking slightly as she said it. It was a painful realization, knowing that one of her closest friends had died tragically.

"Mipha… what's –"

"Where are we going?" She interrupted quickly. Talking about what had happened was too much for her at the moment.

"… We're chasing after Revali," he answered slowly.

"Revali… he ran off, didn't he?"

"…Yes."

She frowned despite how pleased she was that she at least remembered something. Link's insistence when it came to playing dumb was starting to frustrate her. She knew that the phantom in front of her wasn't real and was instead a creation of her mind to help her cope with the fact that Link was gone. She was also quite certain that as a creation of her own mind, he should be well aware of what she was thinking, instead, he continued to pretend ignorance.

"Mipha, what's going on?"

"I keep reliving that moment, over and over again," she murmured absently as they rode through a pure white landscape. "You, know, the moment he died."

"I didn't die," Link muttered over his shoulder.

"Yes, you did," she replied, verging on impatience. She really didn't care to discuss this right now… or ever.

"Mipha, look at me."

She didn't look, choosing instead to watch the snow fly by.

"Look at me!" She turned sharply at the hardness in his voice. It was something she had heard him use rarely, in fact, there were only one or two times she could recall on hand.

"What?"

"I'm real! I'm not your imagination and I'm not dead!"

"How can you be real when I've watched him die time and time again?"

"I. Am. Not. Dead!"

She frowned again. Either the illusion was breaking, or the Link before her was real. The Zora Princess had never imagined that he would speak to her to that way. A voice at the back of her mind began to shout in panic as she felt herself slipping back to the other world. Regardless of whether or not it was the real one, she wanted to stay where she was currently.

"Wake up!" Link shouted, causing her to jolt. His voice cut through the previously perpetual fog. She gasped as the cold hit her like a tidal wave, causing every muscle in her body to contract at the same time. When the shock from the frigid temperatures faded, she became very aware of the pain she felt on her lower half from the constant bouncing.

"W-wha-whe-?" She struggled to get a coherent thought out as she shivered violently.

"We're chasing after Revali, remember?"

"N-not r-r-really." Even with the covering that was wrapped around her and Link, the bitter cold still gnawed at her.

Link made a disgruntled noise as they continued on. The Hylian Champion straightened, nearly causing her to lose her balance. "Is something wrong?"

"I think I see a Stable."

"O-oh."

"We're going to stop when we get there."

"B-but –"

"You need some sleep," he interrupted firmly. "You've been out of it all day."

She really wasn't interested in sleeping despite her exhaustion. She wanted to find something to occupy her time and thoughts, but she knew that Link wouldn't have any of that. He would force her to get rest just like she would force him to sit and allow her to heal him.

The rest of the trip was spent in relative silence, the only sounds being the relentless shivers from Mipha and the constant beat of hooves on the ground. Every so often, she felt herself slipping away to somewhere else, and each time, Link would shake her, breaking whatever spell that had been drowning her. There were times where he would shake her even though she wasn't slipping, making her wonder if he was sticking to some sort of schedule. Whatever it was, she was grateful for his intervention.

When they finally arrived at the Stable, he dismounted the horse and tied it to a post before scooping her off the horse, somehow managing to wrap her completely in the blankets. She protested as he carried her inside, but between being wrapped up tightly and her mental exhaustion, she quickly gave up. She felt herself slipping again as Link argued with the Stable head. Eventually, the two reached some sort of agreement as Link shifted her so that he could hand over a few glittering rupees.

The lights and sounds faded in a blur that left her even more confused than she had been before. She felt a soft yet firm surface supporting her as she stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling. Link appeared after a moment as her vision shifted sickeningly. He pushed the rim of a bottle up to her lips and tilted her head back. The contents trickled down her throat far too slowly for her taste, but she couldn't even muster the energy to complain. She felt herself be lowered back down, where she stared straight above long after she had stopped seeing.

* * *

Link waited patiently for Mipha to fall asleep despite the manner in which the Stable attendant eyed him. Apparently, buying a sleeping elixir for Mipha meant that he wasn't allowed to remain by her side unless he was accompanied by a member of the staff. It was annoying, to say the least; however, he couldn't blame them.

He sighed as he left the room while his chauffeur locked the room behind them. He would have stayed there, but he had other matters to attend to.

The Hylian Champion returned to the horse he had left out in the cold. He felt bad for pushing her so hard and then leaving her to stand out in the cold. She nickered as he set a hand on her neck and patted her affectionately. He untied the rope from the fence and guided her towards the Stable's counter.

"Kish, you're a blithering idiot," Sprinn growled as Link stopped on the other side of the counter. "Selling one of our finest mares… flamin'- "

"Selling?" Link asked quizzically.

"You're Link, right?"

He nodded.

"Look here. When you 'rented' Epona here, you forked over more than you would have needed to buy her. Apparently, you're in some kind of hurry and 'stressed' him out," he grunted, disgust evident in his voice. "I can pay out the difference if you're interested in returni – "

Link cut Sprinn off with a quick shake of his head. Shortly after Epona had come into his care, they had been forced to leave the road entirely as it turned sharply towards Hyrule Castle. Considering how well she had held up in her cross-country trek with two passengers, he would be reluctant to let her go, even when her speed was no longer strictly necessary.

"Yeah, I figured that's what you were gonna say," Sprinn sighed. "You're lucky that Togo, our postman, arrived when he did, otherwise, you'd be paying the rental price for her again." Sprinn began shuffling papers as his face regained a more businesslike quality. "Since Epona is no longer ours, you'll have to register her; however," he sighed again as he analyzed one of the sheets in front of him, "you already paid most the cost when you bought her. That'll be five rupees."

Link handed over the blue jewel and watched as Sprinn held it in front of him glumly, sighing at the loss. "Included in the fee is the cost of a saddle set. We'll set it up while you and your friend get some rest."

"Thanks," Link murmured.

He grinned as he heard Sprinn continue lashing Kish verbally all over again as he stepped back inside. He ate a small meal, cringing slightly at the lackluster cooking even as he failed to taste anything. The greens were undercooked, the meat was over, and the rice crunched uncomfortably. After the Hylian Champion had finished his meal, he returned to the door leading to Mipha's room.

He was concerned about her. Her lapses between moments of lucidity had become increasingly concerning when she had claimed that he was dead. What was more, she was certain that he was also a figment of her imagination. At first, he had thought that Revali's comments had hurt her deeply; however, he wasn't even sure that she had been there mentally for the Rito Champion's comments.

The only conclusion he could reach was that the memories the Master Sword had contained were too much for her to handle, causing her to shut down as her mind tried and failed to cope with what she had seen. All things considered, it may have been Revali's breaking point as well.

He hated the idea of leaving her alone when she seemed to have no sense of what was real anymore, but there was nothing he could do. The Stable's rules concerning the purchase of sleeping concoctions were strictly enforced. And so, he pulled his legs in and set his forehead against his knees. He would be in pain when he woke up, but this was the best he could do right now.

* * *

Vah Medoh flew just above him, suspended by ridiculously small propellers. Had the circumstances been different, Revali would have been impressed that a handful of small, whirling blades could keep such a massive machine airborne. As it was, his mind was more preoccupied with thoughts and strategies to help him free the beast.

He couldn't rely on the other Champions, that much was certain. To do so would show how weak and vulnerable he was. After that, they would cast him aside as a child would a toy when a newer, shinier one came along. No, the only way to ensure his place among them was to free the beast on his own. He would show them that they did need him, even after what happened with Dinraal.

After his failure with Dinraal, his long-dormant anxieties had come to a head. He had always believed that being a member of the Champions was based solely on the group's collective need for an individual; however, that hadn't bothered him too much as he had a nearly flawless track record in the past. When Dinraal had almost killed him, the illusion that his skills would keep him safe shattered in an instant. Now, all that was left was for him to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was capable of all they could do and more.

The Rito Champion returned all of his arrows to his quiver and finished tuning his bow. He was sure that he had plenty of arrows and his bow, while not the one that Owen had given him, would be more than sufficient to subdue the Beast's defenses, whatever they were. His preparations complete, he crouched low and promptly flung himself to the heavens, ready to take Medoh back.

Under normal circumstances, he would have reveled in the feeling riding air currents upward. He had always adored the sense of freedom that flight bestowed, the ability to leave all of his problems on the ground below. This was not one of those times.

Despite his self-assurance in his preparedness, he still felt his stomach twist itself in knots as he approached the Divine Beast. He still had no memories of what Medoh was capable of. He was flying blind as it was.

As he drew near, Medoh sensed his presence and prepared to defend itself. Revali drew his bow as he spotted a handful of Guardian like machines flying out of Medoh. If ancient Sheikah technology was anything to go by, then the machines would be difficult to kill even though they were small. Luckily, he'd had the foresight to stop and buy a hefty sum of bomb arrows from a traveling merchant. The machines surrounded Medoh, creating a translucent red shield around the Divine Beast.

He dove down, pulling out both a bomb and fire arrow in the process. While Kass had informed him that the stunt he had pulled during his battle with Dinraal had been nothing short of spectacular, he wasn't eager to repeat it. Instead, he held the fire arrow in front of his bow, holding it in place with his index finger. He smoothly drew a bomb arrow and nocked it, scraping the wick along the tip of the fire arrow. It was a crude and inelegant method, but he wasn't inclined to care as the fuse hissed.

He fired the first arrow, frowning as the first machine wavered in place. He had made a critical mistake and fired too early. He would have to be on point moving forwards, or else he would be killed before he had even boarded Medoh. He shook himself, trying his best to cast his errant nerves aside.

He brought his wings in as he dove down closer to Medoh. He angled to the left, dodging a projectile shot by one of the machines as he drew another arrow. He quickly lit the attached bomb and launched his second arrow, hitting another one of the machines dead on as he wove around another projectile aimed at him. His target exploded in a brilliant flash of light while bits of metal rained down below.

The Rito Champion didn't take the time to celebrate his minor victory as he finally shot down the first machine that he had failed to hit.

The shield surrounding Medoh flickered out, causing Revali to grin as he started his descent towards the Beast. His victory was short-lived as another handful of machines swarmed out of the Beast, forcing Revali to retreat.

He growled as he prepared for the new machines to recreate the shield surrounding Medoh; however, only two did so, leaving five to engage the Rito Champion directly.

Revali gritted his teeth as he was forced on the defensive, angling back and forth, spiraling down and shooting up to avoid the explosive weapons that were being used against him. He felt the sting of mild burns covering him from head to foot, but he was far from giving up. Knowing he only had one shot at his hare-brained scheme, he shot another bomb arrow, this one unlit, in a high arc.

The Rito propelled himself in the direction he fired the arrow, keeping his head tilted upwards slightly to keep track of the bomb's progress. He gave another mighty flap, forcing his wings to his sides as he raced ahead of his own arrow. He looked over his shoulder, making sure that his opponents were still following him.

Revali flipped around and let loose the fire arrow, hoping that he hadn't rushed it. His aim was true as the fire-powered projectile struck the bomb as he had intended. The resulting explosion ripped through three of the machines, leaving only two. Though he had hoped to take out all five at once, he was certain he could handle two.

He was in the middle of drawing an arrow when an explosion tore through his wing and side while also shattering his bow. In his attempt to rid himself of the machines, the Rito had drawn too close to the Divine Beast and had been attacked as a result. Revali was sent tumbling uncontrollably through the air as he felt another explosion tear through his back. He couldn't even draw enough breath to cry out as he desperately tried to right himself.

He lost all sense of direction as the sickening spin continued on and on. After what felt like an eternity, the sounds of explosions ceased as Medoh screamed its rage.

The endless spinning finally slowed, allowing Revali to find the quickly approaching ground. He tried to spread his wings, but his mangled left wing refused to listen. Mustering what little strength he had left, he flapped with his remaining wing, slowing his fall while also turning him around.

What little breath he had regained was knocked out of him as his back slammed into the earth. He was too disoriented to brace himself for the second impact as gravity forced him back down. He heard rather than felt the crunches and snaps that accompanied his rough landing.

He skidded to a halt, gasping for breath. He couldn't see anything as every one of his senses was drowned out by the pain he felt all over his body.

Eventually, the pain subsided enough for him to focus just a little. He tried to get up, but his body barely floundered, too battered and broken to be of much use. He laid his head back down, staring up at the expanse of sky above him.

The Rito craned his neck up so he could look around. Something about the layout of the clearing struck him as eerily familiar. The stone near the center, the half-dead trees at the edges, even the brambles struck a chord somewhere in the back of his mind.

It wasn't until he laid his head back down in defeat that it dawned on him. _'Wait… I know this place…'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me, but I don't make cheap references.


	25. In Pursuit of a Champion

She had watched the whole thing through a spyglass that her brother had gifted her with during a lull in his travels. A Rito she had never seen before had assaulted the Divine Beast by himself. At first, the battle had excited her as she watched shots and maneuvers that would have made Teba, the best archer she knew of, jealous.

While he had been doing brilliantly in the beginning, he had become overwhelmed by the Divine Beast and had been knocked out of the sky. Even as the archer was still falling, she had taken off, flapping furiously to catch up to him despite her comparatively poor mastery of flight.

It hadn't even occurred to her that she could have and should have found one of the village's stronger fliers. Teba, even though he was still recovering from his latest bout with Vah Medoh, likely could have carried the archer back by himself. She would be lucky if she could maintain flight long enough to find him.

After hours of searching, she finally spotted specks of blue and gold in a small clearing of a forest. The young woman could just make out the archer lying on the ground with an unfamiliar golden Rito standing just above him. She touched down, nearly tripping over her talons as she tried to find purchase on the snowy ground. The golden Rito didn't seem to notice her noisy and ungraceful landing.

"How is he?" she asked quickly as she ran over to them, trying to trip again.

"Hello, young lady," the golden Rito replied, turning to address her.

"How is he?" she repeated, panic beginning to creep through her. Even with the Rito woman standing between her and the archer, she could make out several severe gashes as well as a destroyed wing. She didn't have to have any knowledge of medicine to know that he'd be lucky to fly again, that was if he survived his injuries.

"He'll be fine," the woman replied. "Help is on the way."

"We should get him back to the Village –"

"And how do you plan to accomplish this?" the woman asked with a raised brow. "You struggled to make it here carrying yourself alone. Do you really think you can carry him and his equipment as well?"

"You could… help me," she suggested weakly.

"Unfortunately, I have other matters to attend to, but as I said, help is on the way. When he gets here, then you may take him to the village."

"You can't just leave him here!" she spluttered.

"I am not just leaving him here. I am leaving him in your capable hands, yes? Besides, I would think I am one of the people he would rather not see."

"You know him?"

"Indeed."

"Who is he?"

"I will leave his introduction to him," the woman replied, mischief playing at the edges of her expression.

"But –"

"No buts," she said firmly, all traces of humor gone. "As I said, I have urgent matters to attend to. In the meantime, you will stay here with him until his friends arrive."

"O-okay."

"Good." The golden Rito walked to the edge of the clearing as she turned her eyes back to the unconscious archer at her feet. "Oh, and Medli?"

She turned as her name was called.

"Do be patient with him," the woman said as she gave her a pointed look. "He hasn't really been himself of late. He'll need encouragement when he awakens." Before Medli could ask how the woman knew her name, the golden Rito took off, disappearing seconds later.

Medli turned back to the archer at her feet, stopping when she saw bandages covering him from head to toe. She had been sure that they hadn't been there when she had first looked.

"Well, uh… I'm… Medli." She shifted uncomfortably and nearly smacked herself in the face. In the state he was in, trying to talk to him was as good as introducing herself to the trees. "Sorry, there are more important things to worry about." She sighed in defeat as she caught herself talking to no one again. While her brother and his wife accepted that bit of her, the rest of the Village teased her for the habit. That was just the ones that didn't think she was entirely deranged.

It was a habit she had tried to fix, but she found herself doing it again as she began clearing out the area and trying to find enough sticks to build a fire. Even with his feathers, the archer would need a source of warmth while they waited.

After she finally managed to get a weak flame started and had cleaned up her surroundings as much as she could, Medli sat down uneasily. She couldn't stop herself from fidgeting. She had no clue how long it would be before his friends would arrive. On top of that, she hadn't told anyone where she was going or for how long she would be gone. It was too late for that now.

Medli sighed discontentedly as she pulled out her harp and began to pluck at the strings reflexively. Her brother had made it for her when she had expressed an interest in music. Originally, she wanted to learn the accordion, just like her brother; however, the intricate instruments were outside their means, and her brother had neither the materials nor the knowledge to make one. Instead, his teacher had instructed him in the art of harp making. It had become a custom for him to make her a new harp every few years.

Her fingers continued pulling the strings in time to a melody she had learned long ago. Playing such tunes helped to calm her during particularly stressful times, giving her the opportunity to stop and think for a moment. She looked back at the archer as she continued playing, hoping that the golden Rito had made the right choice in leaving her there.

* * *

' _I don't know this ceiling.'_ Mipha frowned at the ridiculousness of her primary waking thought. She was certain that there was something more pressing to worry about than the familiarity of her shelter, but for the life of her, she couldn't recall what it was.

The Zora Princess forced herself up, so she could lean against the wall of the room.

"Morning, dearie!" a plump woman greeted cheerily as she swept out a corner of the room. "How're you feeling?"

"I think I am alright… where are we?"

"Oh my, you really were out of it, weren't you?" the woman asked as she crossed the room and set a hand on her head. Seeming content with what she found, the woman retracted her hand. "We're in the Serenne Stable."

"Where's Link?"

"The boy who carried you in? I think he's right outside. Slept there all night if you can believe it."

"Could you bring him in, please?"

"You sure, dearie?" the woman asked skeptically. "He seems a bit obsessive. He started a fuss after Sprinn told him he needed to get his own room."

"I'm sure."

"If you say so."

Link entered as soon as the door was open. Though he tried to hide it, there was a slight limp in his stride.

"What happened?" she asked quickly as she motioned for him to sit beside her. The woman left the door open and stood with her arms crossed.

"Good to see you're back," Link replied as he removed his boot, showing her his purple, swollen ankle.

"What?" Mipha asked absently as she inspected the injury.

"You weren't really here yesterday."

Mipha neither knew nor cared what he meant by that. His ankle was a far more pressing concern to her right now. "I think you have a sprain," she said quietly. She set her hand on his ankle, intending to heal it; however, something felt off. As soon as her hand began glowing, the light began flickering in and out until it failed entirely.

Mipha shakily held up her palm, staring at it as her breathing became shallow.

"You okay?" Link asked quietly.

"I… I can't do it," she replied numbly.

Link frowned as he gazed at her, likely sensing her distress.

"I think you should stay here and wait for the others. I'll try to stop Revali from- "

"No," Mipha said quickly. "I'm not going to let you go on your own! What if something happens, and I'm not there? What if you get hurt and can't get help in time?" Her breathing was becoming more sporadic as her chest tightened, her heart pounding harder and harder all the while. "What if –"

"Okay," Link cut her off as he set a hand on her shoulder. "Just breathe."

"You're not leaving me here," she said as she struggled to slow her breathing and her heart rate.

"Right." She could tell that Link was bothered, but she didn't care. His lack of argument was soothing to her as she finally started breathing normally again.

"You're not leaving me here," she repeated, just to be sure he understood.

"I know," he sighed.

With the debate settled, both Champions stood up and left the room, but not before the maid growled at Link, telling him he had better be on his best behavior. The Hylian nodded nonchalantly as he stepped past the woman, leading Mipha to the entrance of the Stable.

"Here," Link murmured as he pulled a thick blanket out of his satchel and wrapped it around her.

"Why?"

"It's freezing out there," he replied as he pulled a cloak around his shoulders.

The two stepped outside, Mipha gasping slightly as the cold cut her to the bone despite her thick covering. Link exchanged a few words with the Stable head before a horse she vaguely recognized was led out to them.

"After a little scrounging, we managed to find a double saddle," Sprinn muttered as he handed the reins over to Link grudgingly.

"Thanks," Link muttered as he handed over a red rupee to the man. Before Sprinn could say anything else, Link helped her climb up onto the horse. Though she now had a saddle, her position on the horse was still insecure as it was not designed for side saddling. "Make sure you hold on," Link advised as he climbed up in front of her.

"Follow the path," Sprinn said as he pointed northward. "I know you're in a rush, but if you stray from the path, you'll wind up on the edges of a crevasse. Better to take the detour now than to risk it and have to turn around."

"Right."

"Once the path curves around the crevasse, you'll know you're close to the Snowfield Stable. Make sure you stop there for a few hours at least."

"I am sorry, but we really cannot afford- "

"I know you're in a rush," Sprinn said, cutting Mipha off, "but it's for your own good, miss. It only gets colder from here. You spend too long out there, and you'll freeze to death."

"I see…"

"We'll be careful," Link assured. The two exchanged a nod before Link gave Epona a light tap with his heels. The horse lurched into motion, surprising Mipha and forcing her to tighten her grip on Link.

"So, I've been wondering," Mipha called as Link spurred Epona onwards, "where are the others?"

Link gave her an odd look over his shoulder. "We left Daruk, Urbosa, and Midna behind at the forest when Revali flew away."

"He did what?"

"How much do you remember?" he asked quietly.

"I remember going into the forest," Mipha murmured as she wracked her brain. Try as she might, she couldn't recall anything afterward except a few hazy images and impressions. "Not much else," she admitted sheepishly. She had no idea how she had lost an entire day.

"…"

She frowned as Link didn't respond for a long time.

"Revali said some terrible things after I pulled the sword, then he flew off. Kass carried you and me to the closest Stable, which is how we got separated from the others."

"What did he say?" Mipha asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter."

"Link, what did he say?"

"… He called you a consolation prize," Link sighed.

Mipha grimaced but quickly shook the comment off as her concern for Revali grew. It was an awful statement to make, and it did sting; however, she knew the Rito Champion, despite his attitude, was far from malicious. To say something of that caliber and then run away was indicative that something was horribly wrong. "Do you know where he went?"

"He said he was going to take Medoh on alone," Link muttered gravely.

"Medoh?!" Considering her experience with Ruta, and what little Daruk had told her about Rudania, she knew that to take on one of the Divine Beasts alone was verging on suicide.

The Zora Princess unwrapped one of her hands from Link's midsection and looked at the palm of her hand. Considering that she had failed to heal a sprain that morning, she wasn't sure she would be up to the task of mending Revali should he become injured. She sincerely hoped that the Rito Champion was as skilled as he proclaimed himself to be.

* * *

Kass scanned the land below him, keeping his eyes trained for even the faintest shade of blue or red. He had decided against waiting for the elder Champions and had decided to fly after Master Revali himself. The Bard had made a quick stop by the Flight Range, an archery range that the Rito Champion had frequented often to no one's surprise. Revali had been the one to request its construction as his reward for winning an archery contest long ago.

To Kass' dismay, not even Teba, Revali's own prodigy, had been there. He had been hesitant to return to the Village only to leave minutes later, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Luckily for him, he had chosen to fly through the night and had arrived at the flight range a significant amount of time before dawn. With any luck, his wife and children would still be asleep. It wasn't that he didn't want to see them, but rather, he hated the idea of exciting his family, only to disappoint them.

The Village had been built around a massive spire of rock that rose from the center of a lake. The constructs that made up the Village spiraled up around the spire, its foundations made from various outcroppings located on the stone, leaving only certain platforms and paths to hang suspended over open air. There were few walls, with most of the huts consisting of a floor, a roof, and a basic framework made of wooden poles. It was simple and far from elegant, but it was home.

He had landed silently on one of the platforms that extended from the Village. Such platforms had been created specifically for landing and taking off, as some of the less skilled fliers had inadvertently caused damage to homes during their attempts to land.

The Bard hadn't been paying attention when he landed, and as such, he had landed on the platform nearest to his home. He considered making a short flight to one of the lower levels; however, he wasn't willing to take the time.

He couldn't help but stop outside his home as he made his way to the Elder's quarters. It was difficult to see through the nets, hammocks, and shelves that hung from the poles of his family's home; however, he had done it so many times that he knew at just what angles to look to catch sight of each of his five daughters. Warmth surged through him as he beheld each of their faces. It was times like these that made his travels across Hyrule so difficult.

"Kass?" an achingly familiar voice asked from behind him.

"Amali," he greeted warmly as he turned and wrapped his wings around his wife.

"What are you doing here?" she had asked as she returned his embrace. There was no tartness in the question, only genuine curiosity. She had not been expecting him back for many more weeks at the earliest.

"I don't have time to explain," he replied sadly. "Have you seen – "

"No, she disappeared again," Amali had replied, a faint note of worry evident in her words. "This isn't unusual for her, but after what happened with Medoh yesterday, I can't help but worry."

He hadn't been asking after his sister, though he had intended to find her at some point, now he felt his own anxieties beginning to spike. "What happened with Medoh?"

"It came way too close to the Village, acting like it was going to attack. Teba and Harth managed to drive it away, but Harth was injured in the process," she had finished around what he assumed was a lump in her throat.

"What does that have to do with Medli?" Kass had asked, his concern growing by the minute.

"Well, a few hours later, Medoh apparently attacked someone else, and I haven't been able to find Medli since," Amali had finished, her words coming out as more of a squawk.

"And you don't know where she went?" he had asked, trying to refrain from succumbing to panic.

"No!"

"All right. Stay here. I'll go look for her."

"Please be careful."

"Always," Kass had murmured. After promising his wife once more that he would be safe, he rushed to the nearest platform and took to the air as fast as he could.

Kass' tired eyes continued their search for his sister. Knowing her as he did, she had been watching the fight between Medoh and who he assumed to be Master Revali through the spyglass he had given her. He could only assume that something had happened to the Rito Champion and Medli had rushed to him, ever eager to help.

He was proud that he had such a compassionate sister, he just wished that she would take more time to stop and think rationally. Often, she would venture forth before she had actually stopped to think about what she needed to do in order to help. Lady Mipha reminded him of Medli; however, the Zora Princess was able to maintain a calm demeanor whereas his sister would become increasingly frazzled.

His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the light of a small fire in a clearing below. He dove down, wishing all the while that his sister's nearly pure white coat was any other color. He wasn't sure why his sister had to be one of the two most abnormally colored Ritos in the entire village. Only she and Teba were white, whereas everyone else in the village had shades that would stand out brilliantly against the snow. Ever one to find the silver linings, he was grateful that his sister's highlights were red instead of black like Teba's.

As he drew closer, he saw a mound of deep blue.

"Master Revali!" he tried calling. Like Teba and his sister, the Rito Champion had a unique coat; however, his would stand out against the snow. The blue mound didn't move, but he did catch the shifting of a faint red as someone else looked up at him. He recognized the markings as he finally landed.

"Kass!" Medli greeted as she ran up to him and threw her wings around him. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you and… Genli…" Kass replied, trying his best to refrain from using the Rito Champion's real name. As thrilled as he was to show Revali their shared home, he wasn't sure the Champion would appreciate his name being thrown around before he had the chance to introduce himself. There was just one problem with the name he had chosen.

"What would Genli be doing way out here? Shouldn't she be with her mother and sisters."

"That's… also Genli…" Kass finished lamely as he gestured to figure he had identified as Revali.

"…Um… brother, I don't mean to be rude, but you still aren't a very good liar," Medli murmured as she looked down at her talons, drawing them through the snow in no discernable pattern. "I mean, that's one of my niece's names, you know?"

Kass sighed as he shook his head. He just did not seem to have been built for the art of deceiving. "He is feeling self-conscious right now. I think he should introduce himself when he is ready."

"Weird. That's what she said."

"Who?"

"Oh, right! There was some odd lady with golden feathers who showed up and said that I needed to wait here with him until his friends arrived."

Kass frowned. He had an idea of who it could be, but he had never thought that she would appear as a Rito. Regardless, he wanted to get Master Revali back to the village as soon as possible.

The Bard turned back to the collapsed Rito Champion and finally noticed his surroundings. Medli had cleared away large sections of the snow-covered ground, at least managed to bandage Master Revali, and had started a fire. He hadn't expected her to get much farther than arriving and making some poor attempts to make the situation better. "You did all of this?"

"Yep!" Medli replied. "After you left last time, Amali had me start helping with your daughters. It taught me a lot of things, like to always make sure I have spare bandages and elixirs," she finished proudly as she held up a rather large satchel for him to see.

"I am glad that you are becoming more responsible," Kass replied kindly as he set a hand on her shoulder. "Now, I think we should take him to the village."

"Oh! Oh! Here take this," she said quickly as she dug through her satchel, causing Kass to wince as he heard bottles crashing dangerously into one another. After a few more minutes, and far too many collisions, Medli pulled out a bottle filled to the brim with a bright green fluid. "Take it," she murmured warningly as he grimaced.

His face twisted even further as he drained the stamina elixir. It tasted as foul as he remembered, though he did appreciate the boost it gave him.

"Oh good," Medli breathed as he finished.

"Hmm?"

"Your feathers were drooping just like Kotts' do when she's tired, but you look better now."

"Thank you." With Medli's concerns waylaid, for the time being, the two quickly placed the injured Revali on Kass' back and secured him. He was amazed at how conscientious Medli had become in their time apart; from the care she took when moving Master Revali to how she insisted on double checking not only his bandages but also the straps that secured him to Kass' back as well. "Now, let's get him to th –"

"I'll… I'll show them all…" Revali groaned as he began moving around, hindered both by his injuries and his harnesses. Both Kass and Medli froze, neither sure how they should respond to the Rito Champions unexpected words. Master Revali said no more, but neither Kass nor his sister moved for a minute. When they were finally certain that he was finished with his squirming both took off, angling towards the Village as they cleared the trees around them.

Though the Rito Champion was significantly heavier than Kass had expected, the weight didn't truly bother him. He had spent so long flying with his beloved accordion, an instrument that was by no means light, as well as other necessary supplies that he could handle the Champion's weight, at least to the Village.

"Are you okay?" Medli called as she wobbled next to him in the air.

"I'm okay," he replied, finding it humorous that she was carrying no extra weight, yet she appeared to be struggling more than he.

The rest of their journey was spent in silence, which was only broken by Kass asking once if Medli needed to take a break. Otherwise, both were too focused on their destination to worry about exchanging pleasantries.

Kass nearly collapsed when he finally landed. As strong as he was, his exhaustion was quickly overcoming him; however, Amali was there in seconds to help him and Medli unstrap the Rito Champion.

"Mommy!" several little voices called over each other, causing him, Amali, and Medli to exchange a panicked glance. Master Revali, even with all of his bandages, was not in a state he was comfortable with his children seeing. He knew that he couldn't protect his daughters forever, but that didn't mean he wanted them exposed to such injuries that moment.

Thinking quickly as he heard their little feet cascading towards him, he turned and spread his wings wide while bending down. He then swooped down and swept all five of his daughters up, spinning so that they were angled away from Master Revali. "Hello, little ones!"

"Daddy!" they all giggled as each nestled further into his chest. He had learned long ago to appreciate coincidences, one of them being that he was barrel-chested, which was quite common among Hylian men, but not so much among the Rito. They were blessed with leaner bodies to make them more aerodynamic, whereas he was blessed with a torso wide enough to hold each of his children.

"I'm so happy to see all of you," he said as he began walking back the way they had come. "Have you all been good for your mother?"

"Mommy got scared because Kheel disappeared!"

"Hey!" Kheel pouted. "I was tired of waiting for Genli to get ready!"

"You could've at least helped us make the Salmon Meu- meu- " Kotts' face screwed up in frustration as she tried to pronounce the second half of the dish's name. "Muneire," she finished.

"It's meuniere," Genli corrected.

Kotts stuck her tongue out at her green feathered sister.

"Hey, at least it tasted good," Notts interrupted.

"Why are we still talking about this?" Cree whined. "Daddy finally came back."

"Now, now," Kass murmured as he took them into their home. "No more fighting. I've been up for over a full day, so I need some rest. Why don't you all go practice your singing and I will join you when I'm ready."

"Okay!"

"… But I don't wanna practice," Genli pouted.

"Genli, you have such a beautiful voice. It would be a shame to let it go to waste."

"…Okay…"

Kass looked on fondly as his little girls disappeared, heading off to the highest section of the Village. It was their favorite place to practice, especially when he returned home.

He laid down and closed his eyes, yet sleep eluded him. This wasn't the first time that he had stumbled upon one of the greatest ironies of life: that it was possible to be so exhausted that one couldn't sleep. Even so, he stayed where he was, tossing and turning, trying and failing to find any rest. Eventually, quiet footsteps entered and the hammock he lay in shifted as someone sat on the edge of it.

"It looks like he'll live, but I don't know…"

"He will be fine," Kass replied quietly as he opened his eyes, smiling calmingly at Amali.

"Kass, I don't think he'll be able to draw that bow of his again, let alone fly."

"He has a friend who has powerful healing abilities. I have no doubt that she will be able to repair the damage… and hopefully knock some sense into him," Kass replied.

He lay there, refraining from saying anything as an awkward silence settled over them. He was about to say something when Amali finally spoke.

"… I assume you'll be leaving again soon." He winced at the faint note of hurt and bitterness he heard in her voice. He was far luckier than most, with a wife as patient as she; however, he knew that she was quickly reaching her limit. It showed in the way she grew just a bit more distant each time he returned. She needed him just as much as their children did.

At that moment, he felt horribly selfish.

"No," he replied quietly, "I think I'll be staying this time."

He smiled as Amali's eyes widened. He had always loved it when he could surprise her like that. He had seen many fantastic sights in Hyrule, but none were quite as spectacular as the look his wife was giving him at that moment.

* * *

Link grimaced, rubbing the back of his head as he paced back and forth across his room in the Snowfield Stable. He had no idea why he was so worked up. Normally, it was a simple matter for him to remain calm, even under the direst of circumstances. Right now, though, he couldn't fight the restlessness that rushed him relentlessly.

They were making as good a time as they could, they had plenty of supplies, including money, and they had a haven from the bitter cold. He even had a horse, which was something he had been meaning to look into for a while. Despite all of it, he couldn't seem to relax in the slightest.

He wanted to believe that Revali was the only one who was occupied his thoughts. The Rito had stormed off, obviously not in the right state of mind. If he wasn't already dead or seriously injured, he would be soon. No matter how fast he and Mipha traveled, they would never be able to catch up to him in time unless, by some miracle, he came back to his senses. The likelihood of that was small, and that was based solely on his travel speed alone; However, Revali was only getting a small amount of his headspace. The rest was taken up by a Zora Princess who was staying in the room next to him.

He wasn't sure why she occupied his mind so. He could only chalk it up to the fact that she was nearby while Revali was far away. Maybe that, or the fact that he could help Revali, but Mipha's troubles were something he couldn't help with. At her worst, the only thing he could do was shake her occasionally, and even that hadn't done much of anything. Then there was her near panic attack earlier that day. He had thought it was a side-effect of whatever had been ailing her yesterday; however, she had made him promise multiple times that he wouldn't leave in the middle of the night. It had been such a problem that he had almost suggested they share a room just to give her some peace of mind.

To make matters even more needlessly complicated, he wasn't even really sure why her problems were stressing him out as they did. For as long as he could remember, he had always done his best to provide when others were in need, regardless of how well he knew them. He believed that it was his obligation to do what he could for others. When there was nothing he could do, he took solace in doing what he could and then letting go. For some reason that was far beyond him, he couldn't let go this time.

The fact that something was clearly wrong with her bothered him. The fact that there was nothing he could do made it even worse rather than providing any relief. It was like he was being called to action, except that the action didn't exist, so he was forced to continue on endlessly until some form of action could be taken. Unfortunately, all he could do was pace back and forth waiting for an unknown opportunity to present itself.

Luckily for him, Mipha had given him a healing elixir earlier that day, which had taken care of most of the worst of his sprain. Even so, she would likely be upset with him if she found him pacing, and so, he flopped on the bed, staring up at the ceiling as his foot bounced ceaselessly.

Determined to find some answer, even a vague one, the Hylian began replaying the events of the past few days over in his mind. The morning that they entered the forest, Mipha had been fine, even a little excitable. He imagined that the excitement had morphed into awe at the sight of the Master Sword and the Deku tree; however, he thought it may have been short-lived. Though he hadn't been able to see himself when drawing the Sacred Blade, he wasn't delusional enough to think he had looked very heroic or strong. He probably looked about how he had felt: on the verge of death.

He frowned as he became distracted by a stray thought. On a whim, he called to mind the images that had helped him remain steadfast while drawing the Blade. He started with Revali, then moved to Urbosa, Daruk, Zelda, then finally, Mipha. His frown deepened as he noticed a consistent pattern among the images. Each lacked a certain depth, a certain dimension that made them come alive. They were frozen in the manner in which he had called them to mind. Even when he made them move, it was stiff and lacked any spark whatsoever.

The one exception to the pattern was Mipha. Her eyes had the same glow that they did in reality. In a stark contrast, her image appeared to have developed a life of its own as it moved fluidly, sometimes smiling at him, sometimes frowning, expressing concern, or reaching out to him. The reds and whites of her scales shone more brilliantly than the colors of Revali's feathers or Urbosa's hair. He shook his head dispelling the images. He had hoped that it would provide more answers for him, but it only left him more confused than it had before.

The Hylian Champion stood up, and promptly left his room, picking up the Master Sword as he did so. He walked out into the cold, clearing a space and lighting a small fire. He then drew the Blade of Evil's bane and held it in front of him. Due to the events of the last couple of days, he hadn't yet taken the time to grow familiar with the Blade again, and, as an aspiring master of swordplay, he knew better than to rush into battle with a weapon that he wasn't accustomed to.

He continued holding the Sword with closed eyes, silently remarking on the impeccable balance it possessed. Many swordsmiths, even after a lifetime of honing their craft, couldn't obtain the same balance the Master Sword had been blessed with.

The hilt also pointed to the skill of the crafter. Many who didn't know what they were doing tried to decorate the hilt of a sword with fine metals or beautiful gems, or they tried to make the cross guard too large, or some other mistake that would inevitably throw off the balance of a weapon. The Master Sword had no such flaws. There were no extra adornments, the cross guard had not been enlarged in some vain attempt to make the wielder more intimidating. Even the length allowed for a two-handed or one-handed grasp depending on his preference.

When he finally had finished admiring the care that had gone into crafting the weapon, he stepped forward and swung the weapon in a simple slashing motion, rotating his pelvis and feet during the swing. It was a basic move, but it accomplished what he needed it to. The Master Sword was almost singing as it cut through the air, coming alive in its own way.

He returned to his resting position before swinging again, then again, and then again. With each swing, he came to understand the weapon a little more. He continued, swinging time and time again, his muscles taking over to carry him through forms and attacks that he couldn't remember learning.

Over and over he went, his worries lost in the endless repetition of swing, falling back to defend, and swinging again. Despite the cold, he began sweating as he exerted himself, pushing his strength and stamina to the limit while still controlling each attack as though there was an unseen enemy in front of him.

He finally returned to a resting stance as he finished his training. He frowned down at the blade he held before him. During the session, he could feel the Blade calling to him, trying to draw closer to him, while at the same time, it was holding him at a distance like it didn't really want him to come any nearer. At first, he couldn't quite cope with the idea that the Blade would have a will of its own, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it began to make. In their own ways, Ruta and Rudania had shown that they possessed something akin to intelligence and willpower. It wasn't much of a stretch to think that a sacred weapon that was said to have been forged by the Goddess herself was all that different.

He shrugged off his doubts as he sheathed the Blade on his back and made his way back into the Stable. Even though his worries had returned, they didn't stress him out as they had before. There was still little he could do for Revali, for Mipha, and his doubts about the Sword on his back persisted. Even so, he would do what he could do for now and hope that the rest would work itself out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is Ridley in smash...?


	26. Left Behind

" _Mommy!" he called out, trying to keep the desperation he felt out of his voice. He knew she hated it when he was needy, but she had left him on the rock hours ago, and the sun would be setting soon. He almost didn't care if his father heard him. He knew that it would only cause trouble, but his fear of the noises that he was hearing outweighed the fear of whatever his father would do._

For as long as he could remember, they had only ever expressed disdain in him. They avoided him most of the time despite how he tried to please them. He had picked flowers for his mother once. She threw them away. He had tried to make one of the small trinkets that he knew his father liked. It had been shoddily made, but he had done his best. His father had pointed out every flaw, every failure, before promptly tossing it away in disgust.

Since he could see they didn't like him, he did his best to stay out of their way. The little Rito isolated himself in their little house, doing his best to stay out of their line of sight. He knew he couldn't make them happy, so he thought that he could give them the opportunity to pretend he didn't exist. Maybe that would make them happy. It hurt to admit that pretending to not exist was the best he could do to contribute to their happiness, but they were his parents, and he wanted to see a smile on their faces, if only just once.

His tiny heart froze as he heard a rustling in the bushes. "Wh- who's there?" he called out shakily.

The response he got was a growl as a bear burst through the foliage and charged him. Revali stumbled, tripping over himself in his haste to get away. He curled up, trying to make himself as small as possible as the animal roared. It stood up on its hind legs when it reached him and raised a massive paw, ready to crush him.

"Enough," a woman said calmly. Revali peaked around his tiny wing to see the bear frozen in place. "There are many sources of food for you in these woods- " he saw a woman covered in golden feathers step into his field of view as she approached the large creature- "but you may not have him. Go, find your fill elsewhere."

The bear did as it had been told, settling back on all fours and lumbering back the way it had come.

"Are you well, little one?" she asked as she turned back to him and knelt down.

"y-yes," Revali sniffled as he wiped away the tears in his eyes and got unsteadily to his feet. "Are my… are my mommy and daddy… are they okay?"

"As well as they can be," she murmured.

He wasn't sure why she looked so sad when she told him that. She said they were alive and well, which should have been a good thing. Yet, the way she said it made him wonder what was wrong.

"Do not fear for their safety," she said, as though knowing what he was thinking, "it just saddens me when I offer my help and people cast it away."

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"Do not be," she replied as she smiled at him. "Now, why don't you climb onto my back, so I can take you to the Village?"

"They told me to wait here until they came back. What if I'm not here when they come back?" He didn't want to stay there, but he also wanted to be a dutiful child. He didn't want to make his parents more miserable than he already had.

"Do you love your mother and father?" the woman asked, staring deeply into his eyes. He wasn't sure he could look away, even if he wanted to.

"I know I embarrass them and make them feel bad, but I still want them to be happy." It really hurt to admit it out loud. He wanted to cry because his chest hurt so terribly.

"But do you love them?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Y-yes."

"Then believe me when I tell you that the best thing you can do for them right now is to return to the Village. I know that right now, it may not make sense, but with time and wisdom, you will understand why I say this."

He didn't understand. Not in the slightest. Even so, he obeyed her command to climb up on her back. He clung to her tightly as she lifted them gently into the air and glided over the forest they had been in.

His parents had never taken him flying, not even to the woods where they had left him. They had walked for two days, his parents growing more impatient by the minute. As soon as they had chosen the spot, they had taken to the skies themselves, leaving him virtually stranded, with no idea of where he should go if something were to happen. As such, his curiosity overcame his nerves as he peered over the side. His little heart just about stopped as he saw just how far above the ground they were. He withdrew quickly, burying his head into the feathers of her back.

"Don't worry," the woman called over her shoulder. "Should you fall, I will catch you."

He took a deep breath and looked back over her shoulder. After he regained his breath, he became mesmerized by the way the land flowed below him. Whites, greens, browns, blues all bled together to form one large earthen river. The way the wind whipped past him was exhilarating, tearing through his feathers in a delightful fashion.

He was almost sad when she landed and set him back down on the ground. Wordlessly, she set a hand on his back and guided him gently towards a home that he recognized.

"Why are we at Mister Kaneli's house?"

She knelt down in front of him and looked him in the eyes again. "Mister Kaneli has been worried about you for a while now. He will take care of you."

"You're leaving?"

"Before I go, little one, will you promise me something?"

"What?"

"Remember that I am always with you, even if you cannot see me or hear me, I am still with you. Will you do this for me?"

"O-okay."

"Thank you, little one."

He wasn't sure what he should do or say as no one had ever smiled at him quite as warmly as she was.

"Revali?! What are you doing here?!"

He turned at the sound of Kaneli's voice, catching sight of the owl-like Rito. "Mommy left me on a rock for a long time and there was a bear, and then she saved me –" he said as he gestured in the woman's direction "- and then she brought me here and –"

"Who?" Kaneli asked.

"Her right there," he said as he pointed towards the woman again.

"There's no one there."

Revali was about to correct the man when he looked to his side, where she had been crouched. No one was there beside him.

The young Rito knew that Kaneli wasn't sure what to make of his story; however, Revali kept trying. Kaneli had always been kind in their few interactions. Even as he explained what had happened, he kept shooting glances around, hoping to catch one last glance of the woman who had saved him.

* * *

Revali flapped his little wings as hard as he could, but he couldn't get himself off the ground. He huffed in frustration as he started pacing back and forth. Ever since his parents had died to protect him and Kaneli had taken him in, he had become obsessed with flying.

Maybe it was the other kids in the Village. Ever since he had somehow returned, Kaneli had been pushing him to go and play with the other children; however, they were far from welcoming to him. When specific adults were around, they played nice. When there were none or even a select few who didn't care, they liked to remind him that nobody cared about him. That not even his parents had loved him. A lie that infuriated him more than anything else they said.

The memory wasn't quite clear, but even through the odd jumps in between the clarity, he knew that a monster had attacked him and his parents. They had died trying to protect him, and then he had managed to escape unharmed and made it back to the Village. He knew that his parents loved him, so he wasn't sure why the words that were thrown at him hurt. Why they made him so angry.

He didn't want to admit it, but something about the memory of that day was wrong. It left him feeling like there was a hole in his chest, yet rather than making him feel lighter, it burdened him, slowly wearing him down as the days went by.

Maybe his obsession with flying had to do with the dreams he'd been having. How he knew what it felt like to feel the wind whipping through him was a mystery as he had never flown, yet it was something he longed to feel again. He wanted to watch the colors of the land bleed together into the rivers he saw in his dreams.

Maybe he just wanted to escape from it all. Yes, the Village was where he slept, but he couldn't really call it a home. Most days, he felt like an outsider, peering into other people's lives. Though he was surrounded by members of his race, he felt like he was stranded on an island all his own.

The little Rito stopped his pacing. Maybe all he had to do was give himself a little push. He crouched low and jumped up, flapping his wings unsteadily as he tried to grab the air as he watched the adults do. All he managed was to wind up with his feet above his head, yelping as he collided face first with the ground.

He pushed himself up, wiping his eyes as he did so.

"Did you see that?" A voiced called loudly. "He just fell flat on his face!"

He heard a whole host of laughter as the other kids suddenly came out of hiding.

"Hey, no wonder he looks so ugly."

"Guess that's why mommy and daddy left him with Kaneli!"

"I'd be embarrassed too," another said.

"Shut up!" Revali shouted.

"Oh, what're you gonna do? Cry?"

"I said shut up!" he choked out. He hated the jeering faces and the shrill laughter. He hated feeling that the entire world was closing in around him. He hated the way his eyes were burning as his throat started to clench up. More than anything, he hated that they were right. And so, he did the only thing he could think of.

He ran away.

He could hear the others chasing him, so he ran faster. He kept running even as their calls and laughter faded away. He kept running and running until his stamina finally gave out and he collapsed, trying to cry as quietly as possible. He didn't want anyone to find him, especially Kaneli.

It wasn't that he hated his guardian, it was just that Kaneli didn't understand. He insisted that Revali's memories were wrong. He insisted that Revali still try to make friends with the children that made him so miserable. He told the little Rito that he couldn't fly yet and that he would just have to wait until he molted and grew new feathers made for flying.

He lay there for a while as the dirt under him soaked in his tears. Eventually, he regained his composure, getting back to his feet and wiping at his eyes as he did so.

' _Remember that I am always with you…'_

"Then, where are you?!" he shouted angrily.

There was no answer.

He deflated in an instant, feeling ashamed that he had resorted to yelling at someone who wasn't even there. He didn't even know where the words came from, only that it made a bitterness well up within him. Not even the voices in his head would hang around it seemed.

He turned around, ready to find his way back to Kaneli's, when he found an eagle perched on a low hanging branch, nearly at eye level. It stared down at him with golden eyes.

"What do you want? Here to make fun of me to?"

The eagle cocked its head, staring at him for a moment longer before it spread its wings and glided down to the ground, landing just a few steps away.

"What? I get it, okay. Poor little winged Rito can't even fly right," he muttered. "Just go now."

The bird stayed where it was, continuing to eye him.

"What do you want?!" he shouted. When the bird still gave no answer, he picked up a stone and flung it, but the bird danced back, giving a few weak flaps as it hopped away from the stone. It eyed him again, this time spreading its wings wide, holding them out at its sides. It gave a large, exaggerated flap as its talons dug into the earth, keeping it in place. "I get it!" he snapped.

The eagle flapped again.

"What? You need a demonstration? Here!" The little Rito imitated the bird's actions, mocking it by twisting his face into the oddest expression he could think of.

He flinched violently as the eagle screeched at him, looking as though it were about to launch itself at him. Its eyes remained narrowed as it spread its wings again and flapped.

"Whatever," he grunted as he turned away. Within seconds, the eagle dove out of the sky, cutting off his escape. "Why won't you just leave me alone?!"

It raised its wings again, giving him a very pointed look.

"Fine" he growled as he raised his wings to match. He figured that if he at least humored it, maybe it would leave him alone.

He flapped in the same idiotic manner as the eagle did, causing it to flap again. Over and over the duo gave one large flap and then reset their wings to repeat the motion. It wasn't until he lost track of how many times they had replicated the motion that he noticed several differences between his actions and the bird's.

His arms were not coordinating properly, meaning that the entire time, each wing had been acting as two different entities rather than a single one. As they continued, he tried to correct that problem, as well as applying the other differences he saw. He noticed that it wasn't just the bird's wings that were engaged, but its entire body. He worked at that too, feeling the muscles in his stomach begin to ache just like his arms did.

Eventually, it began to flap more naturally until he could put his entire body into it just as before. After that, it began adding extra flaps, still expecting him to not only keep pace but put the same attention into each stroke of his wings.

Their wingbeats grew faster and faster and faster until the branch that the bird was perched on began to bend upwards. Revali, despite the pain in his muscles, couldn't help but grin at the comical sight. Oddly enough, he noticed that his body was beginning to drift upwards as well. The tips of his talons never left the earth, yet he could feel himself being pushed up.

Their wingbeats died down until his wings were left hanging numbly at his sides as he tried to catch his breath. The eagle cocked its head at him again before giving a nod. The majestic creature spread its wings and took to the sky, leaving the little Rito to watch it soar away. He watched it, determined to fly like that one day.

Revali made his way back to his guardian's house, more exhausted than he had ever been. He gave a curt greeting to Kaneli as he entered, answering his guardian's questions with as few words as possible before climbing shakily into his hammock. As his eyes drifted closed, he saw that familiar dream that he loved so much, except this time, he was joined by a familiar face.

* * *

"Well look who it is," one of the kids drawled as his friends surrounded him.

Revali glared over his shoulder at the kid that had spoken. He hadn't bothered learning any of their names. As often as Kaneli asked, there was nothing he could do to stop the little Rito from being treated as an outcast, but it didn't matter to Revali anymore anyway. As it was, he was better than any of the other children.

He had snuck far away from prying eyes every day and practiced what the eagle had taught him. Every single day, he would go home, tired, grumpy, and in pain, but every morning, he waited until he could get away again. He made a ritual out of it, something that didn't escape Kaneli's attention, but Revali refused to talk about it. His guardian had already told him he couldn't, and he was determined to prove that he could. And so, he practiced every single day.

Before he knew it, he was able to leave the ground. It was only for a few seconds, and it required a tremendous amount of force, but he had done it.

A few weeks after his impromptu lesson with the eagle, Kaneli sat him down and tried to convince him to take flying lessons with the other children. He had staunchly refused, especially when he saw what the "lessons" consisted of. All they had the kids doing was flapping like he did, except, they relied almost solely on wing strength.

Even if he hadn't had the few extra weeks of practice on them, he still would have lifted off before any of them. Even as they started being able to get off the ground, he was already flying short distances. It was exhausting, but each day he improved just a little.

As pleased as he was, his minor victory was made all the better by the fact that he was the only one that knew. He had been planning on keeping it to himself a little longer, but maybe it was time to show them just how much better he was.

"So, did you finally come to learn from the best?" the ringleader continued with a sneer.

"The best?" Revali scoffed as he finally turned to face them. He cringed internally, considering how the act of folding his wings and cocking his head must look. After all, he himself had thought it was an utterly ridiculous look; however, he had started to emulate some of the body language he had experienced. It helped him feel like he was indeed superior to those around him, but that was when he was alone.

"You heard me." The child pushed off the ground and climbed a couple feet into the air, maintaining his place and smirking down at Revali.

Revali smirked back as he spread his wings dramatically. He launched into the air, climbing higher than his rival with practiced ease. He only stopped climbing when he was far above, staring not just at the Rito who had challenged him, but everyone else as well.

He stayed where he was, even as his rival crashed back down. Once he was sure that he had everyone's undivided attention again, he began climbing again, hearing their awed remarks as he did so.

A small voice in his head warned that he was climbing too high. The last time he had reached this altitude, the winds had knocked him back down. Even so, he was determined to do it right this time.

The winds buffeted him as he continued flapping, fighting to maintain his balance. He struggled to make any progress forward, but he continued, spurred onwards by the audience down below.

He yelped as a particularly strong blast of wind caused him to lose his balance. He fought back, managing to regain some control. He knew it was dangerous to be up as high as he was, but his pride refused to let him back down. He had worked hard to get to where he was, and he didn't want to lose the opportunity to prove everyone wrong.

He looked up as he heard a cawing. His eyes widened as he caught sight of a familiar bird gliding down gracefully towards him.

"It's you!" he said as it sidled up to him. It cocked its head to stare at him unsteadily before flapping harder to climb. Desperate to learn whatever he could while his silent mentor was still there, Revali beat harder, his face screwing up from the strain of trying to ascend while also not being knocked from the sky.

It felt like he had been fighting for an eternity, but he finally managed to catch up with his teacher. The bird eyed him again before it did the most terrifying thing Revali could think of.

It dove down.

Though it terrified him, the little Rito clenched his abdominal muscles as he forced his body to reorient. All of his senses screamed at him as his feet were suddenly over his head, sending him hurtling downwards. His eyelids tried to shut on their own to protect his eyes from the screaming winds; however, he kept a careful eye on the eagle just below him.

Suddenly, the bird threw its wings out, catching the winds.

Revali shouted in pain as he did the same, feeling as though his wings were about to be ripped from their sockets. Even so, he grinned as the winds that had buffeted him now held him up and sent him soaring over the land below.

Just below him, the bird looked up and met his gaze before ascending up to meet him.

Together, the duo flew away from the village, riding the winds wherever they took them. Revali looked down, entranced by the flowing landscape. He closed his eyes, loving the way the wind whistled as it ruffled his feathers. It was the same as his dream, but even better as it was something he didn't have to wake up from.

He opened his eyes and looked back at his mentor. The eagle was eyeing him again, meaning it was about to show him something new. No sooner had he given it his attention, it propelled itself forward and took its place in front of him.

He stared forward, readying himself for whatever came next.

The bird tipped its left wing down, causing it to curve in its path. Revali followed suit, trying his best to keep his balance as he turned through the air.

His eyes widened as he came back around, finally noticing how far he had flown. The Village was a mere speck in the distance.

Even before he returned, he felt a smirk growing on his face. He wanted to hear what they all had to say about what he had just done.

He pulled his legs underneath him as he gave a few finishing strokes before landing clumsily on the landing pad that he had left from. The others were still there, gazing at him wide-eyed as the bird flew away. He turned to watch it, giving his only friend a silent goodbye.

When he was ready, he crossed his arms and turned around, a cocky smile twisting his face as he met the gaze of his peers.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I heard you earlier. Who did you say was the best?"

The ringleader glared at him. With a huff, he stomped away, followed by his lackeys.

Revali grinned for a moment before his mirth faded entirely. He had finally proven that he was the best of them all, had finally proven that they had been wrong to think so little of him. Despite all that, he was still alone.

He kicked a nearby stone in frustration as he stalked back towards Kaneli's house, where his guardian would likely ask in the same stupid way what was wrong, or he would suggest in the same stupid way that he try to make friends, as though he hadn't tried before.

He had finally managed to make his dream a reality and yet, he felt even worse than he had before because, in the end, nothing had really changed.

* * *

Revali grunted as his makeshift bow shattered in his hands. He threw his wings up, aggravated beyond belief that things had gone so horribly wrong.

He had easily surpassed everyone in the Village as a flier, and that was to say nothing of the fact that he was still an adolescent. No one could match his speed, endurance, or even his maneuverability. He had left them all in the proverbial dust.

That being said, he had just been told, once again, that there was something he could not do. While he had been developing his aerial prowess, he had neglected to develop other skills. Taking note of this, he had finally deigned to learn with others and had taken up a bow as a result.

He had spent weeks training with his peers, yet he never made any progress whilst they were growing by leaps and bounds. They were striking target after target as he continued to miss the mark each time. The most humiliating thing was that he couldn't even pull the bow into a full draw.

Not long afterward, his instructor had informed him that he was, beyond the shadow of a doubt, untrainable. As such, the young Rito had received a "cordial" invitation to stop attending the lessons. The irate young Rito had stalked off as was his custom when upset with a particular outcome.

Despite his former instructor's words, Revali refused to accept the fact that he couldn't do it. He had gone back to his spot and had crafted a bow for himself. He had debated on buying one; however, considering the nature of the Village, everybody likely knew that he had no talent for archery. The bow he had made barely qualified as a weapon, but it had sufficed, at least until it had broken.

His second attempt at crafting a bow was better, but it still lacked the power that most bows had. A short time later, that bow had broken as well.

He was onto his sixth bow now, and still, they were ill-equipped for anything more than ridiculing his own inability to craft a proper weapon.

Suppressing his irritation as best he could, he sat down and pulled one of the branches he had collected towards himself. He had made a habit of having extra branches on hand seeing as all of his bows thus far had broken. He reminded himself that at least the persistent problem gave him the opportunity to experiment with different materials for bows.

He sighed as he set to work removing the excess from the branch.

"Revali… I hate to interrupt, but I brought you something."

The young Rito froze as he recognized Kaneli's voice.

"How did you find me?" he growled as he looked over his shoulder.

"I've known about this spot for years," Kaneli murmured as he looked around the clearing that Revali frequented.

"So, you followed me out here?" he asked accusingly as he got to his feet.

"I know that you need your space, but you need to understand that I am responsible for you."

"I don't need you!" he snarled. It infuriated him that people thought that he needed them.

"Maybe," Kaneli replied sadly, "but I need to be sure. If anything happened to you because I wasn't there I'd –"

"You're not my father!"

"I know," Kaneli replied, patient as ever. The statement was nothing new, especially in the last few years. Revali knew that the man was still making an effort to be involved in his life, despite the young Rito's resistance. As a result, this particular conversation was far from a rare occurrence; however, in Revali's mind, this was far worse than his previous attempts.

"What?" he asked shortly, trying his best to at least honor his guardian's commitment to taking care of him despite his anger.

"I was out shopping earlier, when I found this," Kaneli murmured as he pulled out a bow.

Revali's eyes widened as he took the weapon. It was simple, something he would have overlooked had he been in the shop, yet it was still a finer piece than anything he had been able to make.

"Why?"

Kaneli opened his beak, seemingly conflicted as to what he should say. "… I made many mistakes while taking care of you. I told you that you weren't ready to fly, and so maybe you thought I wasn't willing to teach you. And, well, look at you now."

"And?"

"I heard about what your instructor said, so I thought maybe I would… show you my support this time. I think it's too little too late, but maybe –"

"Dinsake!" Revali spat as the arrow missed the mark yet again.

"Language," Kaneli sighed. He had likely known that Revali had stopped listening, but he had still continued.

"Whatever," Revali sighed as he drew the bow again. He bit back another curse as he realized that, again, he couldn't quite pull the bow to a full draw.

"I wonder," Kaneli murmured quietly.

"What?"

"Well, you are struggling to draw, right?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"Well, what if you drew it the same way you fly," Kaneli suggested uncertainly.

"What?" Revali asked as he released the tension on the bow and lowered it.

"You once said that the reason no one could keep up with you was that they flew with their wings alone, but you flew with your whole body. What if you drew the bow that way too?"

Revali gave his guardian an odd look. He had always considered himself and Kaneli to be on different wavelengths, yet here was his guardian, making a suggestion that wasn't completely off base.

"Did I say something odd?"

The young Rito rolled his eyes as held the bow back in front of him and drew it. Rather than keeping his shoulders in place though, he rotated them as he pulled back. The string pulled further this time, but he didn't release. He held it, feeling his muscles begin to protest the continued strain. Kaneli may have been right in his suggestion, but he was determined to outclass everyone in every category.

After thirty seconds of holding the bow as taut as he could, he released the string, watching the arrow fly with a critical gaze.

"You did it," Kaneli breathed.

Revali rolled his eyes again. He hadn't hit it, he had barely not missed, though if he were willing to lower his standards, then yes, he had hit it.

"I'll show them," he growled as he drew the bow again, "I'll show them all."


	27. The Words He Couldn't Say

Link looked back over his shoulder to make sure that Mipha was still okay. He had lost track of how many times he had done it. Though there was never any change, he continued to check on her every so often. Though there hadn't been any other occurrences that bothered him, the two that had taken place were enough.

He had found it strange how their roles had changed in an instant. She used to be the caretaker and he the one that needed caring for. He had known for a long time that she had misled him when she had implied that she was unable to heal herself. He had done his best to dress her wounds even though she didn't really need him to. It was one of the few ways that he could communicate to her that he cared.

This was altogether different. Now, she was suffering from a condition her powers couldn't heal and, ironically enough, that left him feeling more powerless than ever. If her magic couldn't solve this problem, then what good would he be? He didn't even understand what was happening to her, let alone what needed to be done about it.

"Link, are you okay?"

"I'm just worried about something right now," he muttered as he turned back towards the road. Thankfully, they had passed through the worst of the Hebra region over the last two days, meaning that they had gotten through the worst of the cold. It still wasn't the ideal temperature for a Zora; however, at least it wouldn't leave her with permanent damage.

"I'm sure that Revali will be all right," she replied, doing her best to comfort him. Though he appreciated the sentiment, he hadn't spent a great deal of thought on the Rito Champion. Though he didn't like it, Revali had already attempted to engage Medoh and had nearly died as a result, or at least, that was what the letter Kass had sent mentioned.

"Right," Link replied noncommittally.

"Is there… something else bothering you?"

"There's someone I don't know how to help right now."

"Oh…"

"Yeah…"

"… Just be yourself," Mipha advised.

"What?"

"You have a reassuring presence. Just be yourself and do what you would normally do. That will help whoever it is more than you know."

He wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but maybe he could give it a try.

"How are you doing? Are you still sore?"

"Yes, but there is not much we can do about that right now."

Link pulled back gently on Epona's reins. The horse obediently slowed to a stop.

"Link, we need to keep moving."

"If we don't take breaks, you could be injured," he replied as he dismounted, helping her down in the process.

"You don't have to worry about me" she murmured. His eyes flicked over to the Zora Princess before returning to Epona as he removed the saddle from her back. He had become more certain that he had made the right choice when he had seen the lines under her eyes and the hints of unsteadiness in her stance.

"I also have to take care of Epona," he said as he pulled out an apple from his pouch and handed it to his horse. Epona ate it gratefully, nudging him with her nose in the process. He patted the horse's neck affectionately before crouching down to make a fire.

"Do you think you should tie her up?" Mipha asked quietly as she knelt next to him.

"She won't run," he murmured. The Hylian Champion had no qualms with allowing the horse to roam freely for a while considering how hard he had been pushing her. He could see that she had been well-trained seeing as she stuck faithfully to the roads thus far and responded quickly and obediently to the slightest touch. All things considered, he would be very surprised if she took off.

After he had started the fire, he stood up and looked around, trying to find a suitable pond.

"Where are you going?" Mipha asked

"To get some food," he replied as he pointed towards a pond he had found. "Want to come?"

"Yes," Mipha replied with a tired smile.

He knew she was tired, but he figured a swim, even though brief, would help her stretch and relax her back. Releasing the tension in her back, while not terribly significant all things considered, would at least make it easier for her to rest during their brief stop.

As they made their way silently to the pond, Link once again became lost in his thoughts. He thought he would succumb to his pointless worrying, but instead, his thoughts began dwelling on the future. He considered trying to stop such thoughts; however, he decided against it. His fight against Calamity Ganon wouldn't last forever and he couldn't help but think about what was to come after.

He wondered if he had been a fool to pursue Ganon's defeat with a single-minded focus. Without a clear plan of what was to come after, he likely would have gotten lost, a poor soul searching for some purpose beyond the next fight. The idea was unappealing, to say the least.

His first consideration was to remain at Zelda's side after all was said and done. He didn't remember much of their time together; however, he knew that she was a close friend and that was to say nothing of the fact that she would need help once Ganon had been sealed away. From what little he remembered, he had no doubt that she would try to rebuild Hyrule, regardless of how little was left of the once great kingdom.

With some hesitation, he set the idea to the side and considered other possibilities. One of his favorites was the idea of continuing his travels across Hyrule, but this time, taking every opportunity to vacate the beaten track and see everything that his homeland had to offer. For every moment that he had taken to explore the lesser known parts of Hyrule, he guessed that there were ten other locations that he had missed. He had a feeling his curiosity wouldn't leave him be until he had explored every inch of Hyrule and found every nook and cranny of the vibrant land.

His eyes wandered to his silent companion as thoughts of the future continued. He knew that she would have her own obligations when Ganon was defeated, but he wondered if she would accompany him if he did choose to continue his journey.

At the thought, his attention also began to shift. There was another option left to him that he couldn't deny the appeal of. He could accept Mipha's proposal and live out his days in Zora's Domain. He would grow old and frail while his friends and family would remain relatively untouched by time, but he couldn't quite bring himself to care the way he used to. Zora's Domain and its inhabitants were all he had left besides the other Champions. Even if some of his fellow knights had survived the Calamity, they would be long dead by now. But in the Domain, he still had friends that were alive and well. Some of them even considered him family.

However, it wasn't just that. He had known that he and Mipha shared a unique bond for a long time, and if he was to be honest, he wasn't quite sure that he could imagine what life would be like without her. Even so, he was still hesitant to entertain the thought for too long. He had few reservations, but they still held him back.

He wasn't quite sure how he could contribute to her, or the Domain for that matter. While he was by no means a poor swimmer, he wouldn't be able to keep up with any of the Zora, meaning that his contributions in terms of hunting and gathering would be next to useless except for a few rare instances where their abilities wouldn't be of any use.

He wouldn't be able to craft anything that one of the artisans couldn't do themselves, and they had spent decades perfecting that craft as well. Anything he may put together would pale in comparison.

He supposed as Mipha's husband, he probably wouldn't really have to contribute to the economy as much as he would their politics, something that made him grimace. He had never really had the talent nor the inclination to dive into the realm of politics. It required an understanding of how all the pieces moved together and how to move them to one's own ends, a talent that he could not claim as his own.

There was one role he could perform that he at least had some competence in. He could potentially become her personal knight. He knew that she was more than capable of taking care of herself; however, he was also past the point of idealizing her as he had in his childhood. He understood how weak she could be at times, and though he wasn't sure there was much he could do, he could at the very least try to support her as best he could… by being himself.

The thought was ridiculous, but he supposed that reality was really just a collection of strange, unlikely events that somehow coincided to form the reality he knew.

He shook his head as he realized just how close he was coming to sounding philosophical, or wise, or some other form of insanity that people seemed to admire.

"Um… Link… are you going to help me?" Mipha asked as she waded into the waters.

"Yeah," Link replied as he removed his boots and waded in after her.

"Are you all right?" she asked as he joined her.

"I was just thinking about something," he muttered as they continued deeper into the water.

"What were you thinking about?"

"The future," he answered simply before diving down. While his swimming abilities were no match for a Zora, he was still easily able to catch fish with his bare hands. He quickly resurfaced and set them aside.

"Here," she said as she handed over a couple more.

"Thank you." It wasn't as much as he would have normally taken, but it would do for now.

"We can catch more if we need to. I know how hungry you can be."

"I'm okay," Link muttered as he picked up their haul and began heading back to their fire. As he had predicted, Epona had only wandered a couple paces and was grazing on one of the few spots of grass on the otherwise rocky terrain.

Link prepared the fish, feeling Mipha's eyes on him the entire time. Even so, he remained silent for a long time as he took the filets he made and set them in the cooking pot. "… I haven't been as hungry the last couple of days," he finally said quietly.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but that is not like you. Neither is thinking about the future."

"I don't want to be stuck fighting the rest of my life," he replied. "I'm fine with fighting if I have to, but I don't want that to be the only thing that's left for me."

"So, what will you do?"

"I was thinking about going back across Hyrule and trying to find all of the places we missed," he answered with a smile.

"You never did lose that sense of adventure, did you?"

"Or maybe I could… go back to the Domain," he continued, watching her carefully. He wasn't certain, but he thought he caught the faintest traces of excitement, hope, and maybe even a little apprehension in her expression.

"I see."

He smiled despite the simplicity of her response. It was nice to see her face lighten a little, even if it wasn't a full smile. She had always looked much better with a smile on her face.

He handed the Zora Champion her portion when he had finished cooking, and both sat back, eating silently as Epona returned to them. Despite his earlier statement, Link regretted not catching more fish as his stomach rumbled in discontent. Mipha must have noticed as she passed him some of hers and insisted that he eat it.

When they had finished their meal, both stood up, ready to continue on their journey.

"So, what do you suppose Daruk and Urbosa are doing right now?"

* * *

"Urbosa! I could use a hand over here!"

"Give me a minute!" Urbosa snapped back as she caught a blow on her buckler. She ducked, pivoting beneath her shield as a second Bokoblin made a swing at her. She cut through her first attacker's thigh, causing it to cry out as it dropped to its knees. She came out of her spin, finishing the first off by stabbing it through the back before promptly planting the heel of her foot into the chest of the second.

With her brief respite, she quickly placed her shield on her back and snapped her now free fingers, summoning a bolt of lightning to strike the Moblin that Daruk was wrestling with.

"Thanks!" he called as he ripped the quivering creature off its feet and used it as a makeshift sword to attack a few Lizalfo that had charged him.

She didn't have time to pull her buckler back out before she was charged again. Rather than falling back, she rushed towards the closest, cutting through its side before rolling under the club of the second. She flicked her wrist, cutting through the third. As it fell, she grabbed its club and flung it at the last one standing, striking it in the face as she rushed forward and ran it through with her blade.

The Gerudo turned to dispatch of the remaining straggler, only to have Midna tackle it and clamp her jaws around its throat. It surprised her that the wolf had returned to them so quickly. She had been sprinting ahead of Urbosa and Daruk since they had found her alone at the Woodland Stable. She would disappear for hours at a time before they would find her again, laying down wherever she had grown too tired to continue. As soon as they caught up to her, she got back to her feet and charged ahead again.

She heard a sickening crunch as she turned to find that Daruk had just smashed his makeshift club into the ground. He rolled his shoulders, huffing as he bent over and picked up his Boulder Breaker.

"Usually, you carry weapons to help you win a fight," she muttered as she joined him.

"It'd help if they didn't catch my swing every time," Daruk huffed.

Despite her usual inclination to continue exchanging verbal barbs, Urbosa wasn't in the mood. There was too much at stake to waste time on teasing Daruk. There would plenty enough time for that after they found the others.

With a brief nod, they once again made their way towards the Stable that stood not far away. As little as she liked the idea of stopping, she knew it was in their best interests. They had been keeping up an unforgiving pace for over a day now, and they needed rest if they were to continue on.

Urbosa was no stranger to the cold, yet she was looking forward to the warmth that a Stable would provide. There was something else she hoped it would provide as well. As soon as she strode through the door, she went straight to the counter and ordered a drink, which she downed in one go as soon as it had been placed in front of her.

"You alright?" Daruk asked as he settled next to her.

"Those three will make a drunk of me yet," Urbosa growled as she slammed the mug down on the counter, scaring the Stablehand who had brought a drink for Daruk. "Are you going to drink that."

"What? This watered down –"

She didn't wait for him to finish as she took it and began downing it as well. She wasn't trying to lose touch with reality, a feat she thought would be difficult with such a weak drink. All she was trying to do was relax so she could think a little more clearly.

As easy as it had been to decide on the best method to find the others early on, it had become increasingly difficult as minutes turned to hours and hours to days. To say she was worried was to put it mildly. Knowing Revali, he had probably done exactly what he had implied he would do, except, rather than defeating Medoh, he had been knocked out of the sky… again.

The Rito Champion was not her only concern, however. Link and Mipha were an altogether different problem that had been plaguing her. In her haze after the Master Sword's memories, she hadn't taken the time to notice the state that Mipha had been in. Had she been more attentive, she would have noticed that the Zora Champion was far from okay, and probably should not have accompanied Link.

She could already feel the gray hairs coming in.

"If you want, the next round –"

Without missing a beat, the Gerudo Champion drew her sword and pointed it towards the oily snake that had spoken, eliciting a nervous chuckle. It wasn't until Midna started growling as Urbosa further brandished her weapon that he backed off, returning to his booth to lick his proverbial wounds.

"Now then," Urbosa muttered as she set the second mug down and stood up, "let's find a map and figure out where we should be heading to next."

* * *

Link handed Epona's reins over to the Stablehand before turning back towards the series of bridges that led to the Rito Village. As opposed to earlier, where his thoughts had been taken up by thoughts of the future and concern for the Zora Princess next to him, now his thoughts were directed towards the Rito Champion.

Mipha's focus must have been likewise focused, as she didn't stop to admire the scenery as she usually would have. Instead, she stepped towards the village purposefully, her pace only stymied when she stumbled over her own feet.

"Here," Link said as he caught her and helped her steady herself, holding onto her arm even as she tried to wave him away.

"I don't want to hold you back," she murmured as they crossed the bridge.

"You aren't holding me back," he replied with a frown. With the number of times he needed to be healed, he wasn't quite sure where she had gotten the idea that she was holding him back. If anything, she was probably one of the reasons he was still alive.

"You could have already arrived if it was not for me."

"What good would that have done?" Link asked quietly. At best, he could craft an elixir; however, even that would have been useless as he didn't know what an elixir would require to be specifically tailored to a Rito. "There's not much I can do to help."

"I'm not sure I can either," she said worriedly. He didn't miss the glance she sent down towards her palm. She had tried healing him again earlier that day, with only a modicum more success than she had the previous time.

"We'll figure it out together." He motioned towards her hand when she gave him a questioning look.

"I hope so…"

The rest of their journey into the Village was made in the presence of an uneasy silence. They were greeted by a guard that kept watch at the entrance but were paid no more mind after they returned the greeting.

They wandered through the Village, looking for any sign of their lost companion, but they were unable to find any. Link cringed internally as he looked through the homes of several families with a nearly unobstructed view. He valued his own privacy and felt bad for infringing on the privacy of others, but he supposed that they likely wouldn't mind considering that they had few if any walls.

He stopped, motioning for Mipha to stay quiet as he strained his ears, listening for the sound he had just heard. "Excuse me!" he heard someone call. He looked around, for the source when he felt something hit the ground behind him. He turned quickly as his hand reached for his sword.

He relaxed when he saw a snow white Rito picking herself up off the ground. "Ow," she groaned as she massaged a wing.

"Can we help you?" Mipha asked quietly.

"Oh! Right!" the Rito said excitedly her eyes found the duo. "Are you Link and Mipha?"

"We are."

"Oh good!" she replied excitedly. "Kass told me you two were coming! Your friend is this way, follow me!"

The Hylian and Zora Champion exchanged a glance before quickly following their guide.

"So, may we ask your name?" Mipha asked as she and Link struggled to keep up.

"I'm Medli, Kass' younger sister."

"Oh. How is Kass? He did not say much else other –"

"Here we are!" Medli announced as she showed them into a cluttered house. "Sorry about the mess, but I'm not used to having visitors," she murmured abashedly.

Neither Mipha or Link replied as they quickly crossed the room towards the occupied hammock. In it, bruised and broken almost beyond recognition, lay Revali.

"Oh my," Mipha gasped as she immediately bent over the Rito Champion.

Link stepped back as Mipha's hands moved over Revali's injuries. He began analyzing the room he was in while he waited for Mipha to finish her work. Looking at his fallen companion would stress him out, which would do more harm than good, especially when he took Mipha's fragile state of mind into consideration.

Books, clothes, harps, and even another hammock littered the room in a haphazard mess. He smiled grimly as he realized how lucky Medli was that she hadn't tripped and fallen out of her house.

"I'm going to go get Elder Kaneli," Medli murmured before leaving the room quietly.

Link's eyes wandered back through the various possessions that were strewn across the room. He found some of the trinkets interesting as a Rito would have no reason for having them. There were baubles from Zora's Domain, special stones from Death Mountain, even some items that he could only imagine came from the Gerudo Desert. As enthralled as he was, he couldn't help but tense up as he continued looking through the room's contents.

It took him a minute, but he finally realized what was causing the discomfort. Mipha, still hunched over Revali, was hyperventilating as she held a hand over one of the Rito Champion's injuries.

"Mipha?"

She didn't respond.

"Mipha?" he said louder.

There was still no answer.

"Mipha." He grabbed her shoulders and tried to haul her away as she resisted.

"Link needs my help! Let me help him!"

"I'm right here!" he said loudly as he finally managed to drag her away. Mipha was still fighting to get back to Revali, even as he wrapped an arm around her midsection and pulled her away. He spun her around, so she was facing away from Revali. "Breathe," he said as he set his hands on her shoulders again.

"He stil –"

"Breathe," he ordered gently.

The Zora Champion gulped air down as her breathing began to settle after a long moment. "He still needs my help," she said shakily.

"Not right now," Link replied firmly.

"But –"

"Not right now. You need to get some sleep, and maybe we can try again tomorrow."

"He's dying."

"Revali will be okay."

"Revali? I thought… I thought it was you."

"I'm fine," he whispered as he wrapped her in a hug.

"Oh…"

Link stepped back and gave her a worried look. While she didn't appear to be in as bad a shape as she had been in the days before, but she looked more drained than she had been a few meager minutes before.

"Come on," he said as he took her hand and led her out of Medli's home. He led her back through the Village until they made it back to the inn he had spotted on their way in. He led her inside and paid for a bed for her. He stood close by as she climbed into the bed and got settled. "I'm going to go train," he said, figuring that not telling her where he was going would cause her distress. "I won't leave the Village."

She nodded absently as she stared at the ceiling above her.

He stayed where he was, watching her for a time even as she lay motionless. With a silent sigh, he left, knowing that standing there would do no good. To sit there and watch her suffer in silence would cause him to work himself up, and he was hesitant to introduce any new stressors to her. He was even considering putting off visiting Revali for another day or two before trying again.

He wandered the Village, looking for a spot with ample space for him to train. As he searched, he vaguely wondered why he was so stressed. He had seen his friends injured before, yet Mipha's condition was fraying his nerves more than any of the other past occasions. He knew the answer, but regardless of his feelings, there was nothing he could do for her right now.

He happened across what looked to be a landing pad. He supposed it could be considered rude to take up one for his training, but he wasn't terribly concerned about that right now. Taking his place at the center of the platform, he drew the Master Sword and held it before him again. Taking a step forward, he swung it, feeling comforted by the Blade's song.

On and on he practiced, his body flowing through forms with practiced ease as his thoughts lingered on Mipha. It had taken him time, something that he had been bountiful over the last few days, to figure out his complicated feelings towards the Zora Princess. Ironically, it was his own fault that it had taken so long as he had been overcomplicating everything.

Though there were still aspects that were murky, he had found some clarity in his reflections. The first was the easiest to figure out. He enjoyed her company more than anyone else's. He found her quiet nature to be a welcome change from the typical chaos that had defined his life and actions. He also enjoyed her excitability when it happened. The way her eyes shone and how she stumbled over her words in her rush to say whatever was on her mind were both endearing traits as far as he was concerned.

From there, things began to make less sense, but what he did know was that he enjoyed making her smile. It wasn't just seeing her smile, though he did like the way her face lit up when she was happy. No, it was the knowledge that he had been the one to bring it about that brought him the most joy, even if it was doing something simple, like preparing her favorite meal.

He noticed distantly that he was drawing an audience. Nearly every color imaginable was represented in the feathers that adorned the bird-like race. Adults and children both watched as he unconsciously sped up the pace his swings, but he barely noticed them.

Perhaps the most important aspect of Mipha's presence in his life was that she made him want to be better. Not just in the general sense, but for her specifically. In retrospect, he had noticed that he had a habit of becoming complacent in all parts of his life that were not devoted to the mastery of battle. When he considered her though, whether or not he could swing a sword suitably became a secondary concern. Instead, he worried about whether or not he could do right by her. Oddly enough, once he had realized that, he had wanted to grow closer so that he could continue to better himself.

He continued to his practice, flowing from one form to the next as his thoughts continued on. Though he didn't think there was anything more he could glean right now, he still allowed his mind to wander aimlessly through such thoughts. If he had learned anything it was that subduing his thoughts would only be a detriment and doing so had hurt his closest friend already.

He slowed, coming to a rest exactly in the spot that he had started. He sheathed the Sword and turned back, surprised to see his audience still there. They all started clapping and calling out their praises, making him shift uncomfortably as he waited for them to forget about him.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the crowd eventually dispersed, save a few children who had grabbed twigs and were swinging them in a vain attempt to match his skill and a white Rito who eyed him in an all too familiar way. Before Link could leave the platform, the Rito stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

"The name's Teba. And you are?"

"Link."

"Link? Are you as good with a bow as you are with a sword?"

"No."

He wasn't sure why Teba reminded him so much of Revali. Maybe it was the way that he folded his wings and cocked his head to run a single eye over him. Maybe it was the confidence that he displayed in his stance. Whatever it was, it was like looking at a strange reflection of the Rito Champion.

"How fast do you think you could pick it up?"

"How good of a teacher are you?"

"Meet me back here tomorrow morning."

"I'll have to check on Revali first."

"Revali?!" Teba snapped, jutting his head towards Link. "What joke is this? The Rito Champion died ove- "

"We all survived, slept for a hundred years, he came to reclaim Medoh and nearly died. He's in Medli's house ri- "

Teba didn't wait for Link to finish as he took off, soaring to the upper levels of the Village. Link stood there, caught between his relief at not having to explain how they had survived again, while also wishing Teba had stayed long enough to confirm whether or not they would be meeting in the morning.

He sighed before making his way back to the inn to check on Mipha. When he got there, he found that the Zora Princess had disappeared. After questioning the innkeeper, he found that she knew nothing of Mipha's whereabouts. And so, he retook to the Village, keeping an eye out for the scarlet shade of her scales.

He became increasingly worried as he failed to find her quickly. He looked through various stores, homes, and pathways, failing to find her anywhere. He was about to give up when he rounded a bend and finally found her sitting on the last set of stairs.

"Hello," she said sheepishly as he frowned at her.

He sat down next to her, relieved to find her, and even more relieved that she had snapped out of whatever stupor she had been caught in earlier.

"You should be resting."

"I know," she replied quietly.

As he gave her a reproaching look, he wondered if that was what it had felt like when she would scold him for being reckless. It was still a bit of shock to have their roles flipped on their heads, but he supposed it was bound to happen eventually. It couldn't always be him that had to sit through a lecture.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better, I think."

"Do you know what happened?"

"When I saw Revali… he… turned into you. I wasn't able to -"

"I know," he said, cutting her off before it happened again. He still wasn't entirely sure what would set her off, and so he was determined to step as lightly on such subjects as possible. They sat quietly for a time, neither sure what to say to the other, eventually, Link remembered a story he was sure she didn't know. "Did I ever tell you about how I met Daruk?"

"No," Mipha replied, her interest clearly piqued.

"He came to visit Ordon one day, I guess to check in on my mother and I since he was friends with my father. When he showed up, Owen and I were terrified, because he looked like a stone giant."

"I have a hard time believing that," Mipha giggled with a small smile. He rolled his eyes at her words. She never seemed to acknowledge the fact that he was far from fearless.

"Well, we were. After he introduced himself, though, Owen immediately decided that we should pull a prank on him."

"What prank?"

"He wanted to pour water on his head."

"I still want to know how you two managed to get away with doing that to Muzu."

"We did that to Muzu?!" He was willing to admit that he was a fool, but not foolish enough to pursue every battle that came his way.

"You did," Mipha mumbled tiredly. "That was all I heard about for weeks, even after you both left again."

"Sorry…"

"It was funny. Now, what were you saying?"

"So, we climbed to the roof of my house and had a bucket of water all ready, and my mother was leading him back to our house when a dog got loose and started chasing him. So, Owen and I…" It wasn't until that point that he realized the story involved doing something that Mipha wouldn't have approved of.

"Well, we –" he stopped as Mipha's head suddenly slumped onto his shoulder. He quickly set a finger on her neck, checking her pulse. Her breathing and pulse had slowed, meaning that she had fallen asleep. He let out a deep breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he looked down at her. He smiled as she mumbled something incomprehensible and shifted. She settled down again as he continued watching.

As he stared down at his favored companion, he once again thought back to all of the times they had shared together. Times spent in the Domain in their younger years as they played with Sidon and the other children. Times spent stealing away from the rest of the world just to escape momentarily from the mounting pressures they both felt.

Even immediately after they had awakened in the Shrine of Resurrection, he had still felt a closeness to her that couldn't be rivaled by any of the others. Even in his memories of Zelda, there was still something missing from that friendship, something that he could only ever find with Mipha. A sense of peace, that in the end, everything would work out. He found that peace to be almost near overwhelming in that brief period of time.

"I love you." He frowned as the words left his mouth. It wasn't the words themselves, the meaning behind them, or even the fact that they had been unintentionally said. No, the words didn't sound as they should. It was almost as though he rasped them rather than spoke them. The words were not smooth and comforting. They had grated so terribly that he was glad that she had not been awake to hear them. He'd have to find some other way to tell her.

He carefully hooked his arms behind her knees and cradled her head as he stood up slowly. As he carried her back to the inn, he couldn't help but think of how little he had to offer in the end. All he had was a blade and few talents, none of which would serve her well in the end. It would be difficult, but he would have to learn to accept that he had his limits and would only be able to do so much for her.

He set her down on the bed and pulled the covers up over her, leaving one hand uncovered as he grabbed a nearby chair and brought it to her bedside. He sat down and took her hand in his, holding it gingerly as she slept on.

He knew it wasn't much, but she had told him that his presence was comforting, so he decided to sit there with her. It was a small action, but he remained steadfast.

After all, right then and there, that was all he could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next will be the second half of Revali's memories.


	28. To Walk Alone

" _What're you doing here?" another one of the contestants asked as Revali touched down. He didn't bother dignifying the idiotic question with a response. He was holding a bow and had gathered with every other Rito who sought to compete in the_ _semi-centennial_ _archery contest. It was among the most looked forward to events in the Rito's culture._

According to legend, the contest had begun as a way to honor a Rito archer who had fought against a Calamity alongside the Hero. If the legends were to be believed, the archer who had championed the Rito in ancient times was without equal, either before or since his time. Though none really believed such fables, the Rito still trained until they wore off the feathers from their hands and wings, determined to prove themselves.

The competition involved flying through a course that took competitors in a circle around the cavity that surrounded the Village. Along the course, the hopefuls would have to spot targets and put an arrow as close to the center as they could. The shots could be made either from land or air, depending on the current contestant's individual preference.

While the contest was similar to many other contests around Hyrule, it was considered to be the harshest. Not only was the accuracy of shots judged, but so were the contestants' speed, maneuverability, and the ease with which they found their marks. Past winners even considered how comfortable the competitors looked while wielding their bows.

When all was said and done, only a true pride of the Rito could hope to win. It was considered so integral to the culture that news of it often spread to other Villages scattered around Hyrule and beyond.

While Revali wanted to come top in every category, he knew all too well that it would take everything he had to win. He had made great improvements in his skills with a bow, but his opponents had the advantage of being trained by past winners; however, what he lacked in accuracy was made up with aerial maneuverability and his keen eyesight.

In order to further prepare himself for the impending contest, he had asked his guardian to hide various targets in his training area. Then, he flew above and did his best to spot as many as he could. When he could finally spot every target each time, he moved on to shooting from the air.

In the beginning, he had crashed repeatedly as he tried and failed miserably to draw and maintain balance while flying. It wasn't until he had watched his peers struggle in the same way that he began to understand his mistakes. In order to give himself time to draw and release at close range, he slowed down, just like they did. Without the momentum to keep them going, they would inevitably lose their balance and miss the shot, if they managed to get that far at all.

With the newfound knowledge, he changed his methods, sacrificing proximity for balance and, hopefully, increased accuracy. It took him hours upon hours of spotting and speeding up, letting his momentum carry him forward as he drew and released. Even after months of practicing for hours a day, he still had a lot of improvements to make. He would just have to hope that being able to hit close to the center as often as he hit a bull's eye would be enough.

He looked down at the bow Kaneli had gifted him with so long ago. He had several bows now, all more powerful than the one Kaneli had picked out for him, but he had chosen to bring that one. It wasn't sentimentality, he just understood it better than his others.

It was tortuous, waiting for his turn to demonstrate the fruits of his training. His nerves had started to poke their heads out as one of the judges explained the rules of the contest. They continued to crawl out of hiding as each contestant took their turn. By the time the second to last contender had gone, his own pulse was deafening. Part of it was his own doubts, the other was due to him being unable to watch the other competitor's runs.

His stomach dropped through the floor as he was called for his turn, but he still took to the skies without hesitation. He shook his head as he spotted the first target hanging off a tree. Revali tried to let his years of training kick in, but his doubts caused him to fumble while nocking his arrow. He cringed as it struck much farther from the center than normal. By his standards, it was a miss, but he had neither the arrows or the time for a second attempt.

He growled in irritation as he realized that his nerves were making an already difficult challenge nearly impossible. He hadn't spent years practicing day and night to put a proverbial arrow through his own knee.

As he spotted the second target, he forced himself to take a deep breath as he dove towards the target and let another arrow fly. This one struck closer to the center, but the Rito was still far from satisfied. He was determined to do much, much better.

Through trees, crevices, and even bits of the Hebra Mountains, Revali flew, letting loose his arrows as he continued to battle his anxiety. He had no idea how many targets there were, no idea where they were, and worst of all, he didn't have the beginnings of an idea as to how he was stacking up against the others.

He had no doubts that he was scoring top marks for his speed and aerial mastery, but his marksmanship would be where his score suffered. Even with his precision while airborne, he had no doubts that there were others who could do the same.

He had to do better.

He no longer took the time to size up the targets. As soon as he caught sight, his bow was drawn, sending an arrow into it. If he couldn't win with accuracy, then he would pull ahead through speed and showmanship.

As the end drew near, his breathing became strained as he struggled to shoot his remaining arrows. His fingers stung, his wings and chest ached, but he continued to push on, doing his best to make each shot as consistent as the others.

He felt an impending sense of dread as the finish line came into view. He hadn't performed nearly as well as he had hoped to, but that was the least of his worries. During his attempts to discern just how many targets were scattered on the course, he had speculated that they had given each contestant just enough arrows to hit each target once. So far, he had used one arrow per target, but now, with the finish line in sight, he still had one arrow left.

His eyes scanned the final stretch, looking for any signs of a final target. His eyes flicked back and forth, spotting the edges of a target below an overhang.

He pulled back, stopping his forward movement before diving down. The overhang would make it the most difficult to hit.

Casting off his doubts as best he could, he spun so that he was belly up as he quickly drew and released. He didn't have time to watch as he flipped back around and began to ascend back to the finish line.

He landed, managing to hide his exhaustion behind his usual mask. He could just make out the quiet whisperings of the other contestants trying to figure out who the winner would be. As he continued looking around, he saw that there were only a few others who had used up all of their arrows. Of course, being unable to watch their own progress, he had no way of knowing if they had used one arrow per target or had used them to land a mark they had missed.

The young Rito felt a pang of loneliness as he watched all the other contestants cluster together, congratulating each other on their performances or debating who had done the best.

"I'm proud of you." Revali eyed Kaneli as his guardian set a wing on his shoulder.

"I could have done better," he growled, frustrated as he thought back to his earliest shots.

"Maybe, but did you do the best you could?"

"I just said- "

"I mean, at the moment, did you do the best that you possibly could?"

"I suppose…" While he was still displeased, he couldn't argue that he could have done better when all he could do was look back. He had taken each shot and had put all he could into the contest.

"Then don't be so hard on yourself."

"What do you know?" he snarked, hiding the fact that Kaneli's words had made him feel a bit better.

"Well, - "

"Hey, mister," a small voice said, prompting Revali to look down. At his feet was a child with white feathers and black highlights.

"What?" he asked curtly.

"Uh… I just wanted to say that you looked really cool," the boy replied nervously.

"I looked cool?"

"Yeah!" the child replied as he lost his nerves to the excitement. "Most of the others had to stop flying to shoot, but you kept going- " he said as he spread his wings out and hunched over, running in a small circle as he mimed Revali's shooting "- like you were unstoppable! It was awesome!"

"Thanks." He wasn't really sure how to respond, and so, the word left his beak awkwardly, as though it were the first time he had said it.

"What's your name?" Kaneli asked with a polite smile.

"I'm –"

"Teba!" a woman shouted, causing the boy to freeze up before turning around quickly.

"Sorry! I gotta go now!" he called over his shoulder as he ran off to find whoever had called him.

"Well, it looks like you have an admirer."

"He hasn't even seen anything yet."

His guardian was about to reply when the contestants were summoned forward. Revali joined the other contenders as the Rito that had gathered to watch grew silent, eager to see who had bested everyone else.

"Congratulations to all of our participants for their grand displays. I'm sure that the Rito Champion of old would be pleased to see that our tribe has not wasted the talents the Goddess bestowed on us," Revali rolled his eyes as the ceremony continued. It was ludicrous to claim that the Rito tribe wasn't squandering their talents.

"Third place goes to… Tyll!"

Revali snapped out of his musings as Tyll stepped forward. The brown feathered man threw up a single wing with a dopey grin on his face as the audience cheered.

The audience quieted down as Tyll rejoined the rest of the contestants.

"And in second place, missing only one target… Khida!"

Again, the crowd went wild as the female Rito took her place at the center of attention. She winked to the crowd, eliciting even more hollering, much to Revali's annoyance.

As with the first time, the crowd again fell silent, but there was a nervous energy in the crowd now.

"And, in first place, the only contestant to not miss a single target…"

He dreaded the next words.

"And, with the mastery of the sky that we've all come to recognize…"

The momentary silence before the announcement was the loudest quiet he had ever heard.

"…Revali!"

There was a collective gasp as Revali stared up numbly. He blinked repeatedly, trying to determine whether or not he had heard correctly. It wasn't until he felt a light push on his back that he made his way up to the announcer.

He barely registered as the announcer grabbed his wing and held it up, showing him to the rest of the tribe. He looked blankly on as the crowd slowly started shouting his name louder and louder. He finally saw Kaneli, who was giving him a small smile.

It finally dawned on the young Rito what had just happened. He folded his wings and tilted his beak up as the cheering continued. If they were cheering now, he couldn't wait to see what they would do when he started the real showing.

* * *

Revali set down on the ground leading into the Flight Range. He had requested its construction as a reward for his victory in the archery contest and the Village had acquiesced, finally giving the space and materials he needed to further hone his craft.

The Rito, in a rare mood of thoughtfulness, looked back at what had transpired in the weeks following his victory. At first, he had thought he wouldn't get used to the attention and adulation of the very people who had written him off. It was an awkward and nerve-wracking adjustment to make; however, it hadn't taken him as long as he had thought.

When he did become accustomed to it, he had enjoyed it immeasurably. The adoring gazes, people singing his praises, young trainees seeking his expertise, he was even the hero in some of the children's games, much to his shock. It was as though every aspect of his childhood had been reversed.

Or at least, that was what he had believed in the beginning.

As time had gone on, he began to realize his newfound "friends" didn't actually care about him. They cared about his name, his skill, his reputation. As for him, they devoted no thoughts to him. He was kept around to bolster their own standing among the tribe, nothing more.

When he'd finally had enough of it all, he had packed his few belongings and moved himself to the one place he could usually find solitude: The Flight Range.

Occasionally, he would have visitors, most often being Kaneli. It had started with his _friends_ paying him visits, begging him to come back with them; however, it only lasted a few weeks. Eventually, Kaneli was the only one left who came to visit him.

He still visited the Village from time to time, but only long enough to obtain specific items that he needed, then he would return back to what he called home now.

Sometimes, the loneliness of the Range was almost overwhelming, but then he remembered how he felt among the Villagers and suddenly it became much more bearable.

He grumbled as he set the rucksack he had been carrying down and picked up his falcon bow. It was the most recent addition to his collection of weapons. While his Swallow bow was a fine piece and was still in near perfect condition, it was no longer a challenge for him to draw, even with its being designed to draw at quick speeds. The Falcon bow was to be drawn as quick; however, it required much more power to do so.

He paused as he passed his hammock, stopping to look at the bow that hung just above it. He had hung Kaneli's gift up where he would see it every morning. It wasn't sentimentality, it was just a good reminder of where he had come and how far he still had to go.

He continued out onto the platform, freezing in place at what he saw. The Flight Range consisted of a deep, circular hole that led to a natural hot spring at the bottom. The heat from the water traveled to air above, which caused it to rise quickly, providing plenty of updrafts around the spire of rock that rose from the center of the hole. Hanging from various points along the cliff walls and spire were targets that Revali had hung himself.

On the platform, trying to hit the only target in front of him, was a small, white feathered boy.

"What're you doing here?" he asked sharply.

The boy nearly molted all of his feathers at once as he flinched violently, sending his arrow wide. "Uh… sorry- I wanted to- I thought maybe… uh," he stammered quickly as he turned to face Revali, hanging his head low.

Revali recognized him from the competition. "Teba, right?"

"You remembered?" the child gasped.

"Well, Teba, what exactly are you doing here?" He wasn't exactly in the mood to entertain any guests, especially children.

"Uh… I wanted to come here to practice because… I thought maybe it would make me cooler…" Teba visibly cringed as he sent a pitiful look up to Revali.

"You thought it would make you look cooler," he repeated with a shake of his head.

"Yeah. This is where you train after all. I thought maybe it could help me get better too."

"Is that so?"

Teba nodded quickly.

"Very well then. Show me."

"What?"

"Show me what you can do," Revali commanded, gesturing towards the tiny bow Teba was carrying.

"O-okay." The child nervously held up his bow and sloppily drew it. He released, head and shoulders slumping as his arrow didn't even come close to hitting the target.

Revali watched Teba for a moment before making his decision. He didn't much care for the villagers, or children for that matter; however, Teba did seem intent on impressing him. Maybe he could take the child under his wing… for now anyway. "How unfortunate," he sighed dramatically as he threw his wings out. "You seem to have learned from the brutes who call themselves Ritos. Am I wrong?"

"N-no," Teba replied, visibly confused by the older Rito's response.

"Unfortunate indeed. Tell me, are you a brute?" he asked as he bent down and angled his head so that he was looking at the child with one eye.

"N-no…"

"That wasn't convincing."

"N-no!"

"Then why do you shoot like one?" he asked as he straightened himself. "Can you fly?"

"Yes."

"Show me," he commanded.

Teba began flapping, causing him to rise unsteadily through the air. He hung there for a few seconds before he nearly collapsed back onto the ground.

"As I feared, you even fly like one of them."

"Oh… okay. Sorry for wasting your time." Teba began walking with his head hung low.

"Wait," Revali commanded, prompting the child to stop and look back at him. "It will be difficult, but I can still train you… unless of course, you'd rather live like a brute."

"No!" Teba nearly shouted as he shook his head violently.

"Then follow me." He led the child out of the Flight Range and into a clearing just outside. "While I find your determination admirable, it is ill-founded. If you wish to be a true Rito, then you must first learn to fly like one."

"Okay!" Teba replied excitedly.

"Now, spread your wings wide and do as I do!"

And so, Revali began training Teba, teaching him in the same way he had been taught, albeit with more words rather than having the child try to interpret cryptic looks. It took several weeks, but eventually, Teba had relearned how to fly. After a few more weeks the child was able to fly smoothly at lower altitudes for extended periods of time.

As the weeks bled into months, Revali noticed that Teba was spending more time with him. What had started as a one to two-hour session a day had become three to four and so on until most of the day was spent in each other's company, even after they had finished training for the day.

While he had developed a healthy distaste for many members of the tribe, he couldn't say the same for Teba. He admired the determination and patience he could see in the child's eyes. Not only that, but he was tenacious. When he got knocked around, he would get back up and try again. Revali had been forced to stop him from continuing on more than one occasion for fear that he would hurt himself.

A part of him often wondered if Kaneli had felt that as he watched Revali grow.

Despite the similarities that bound them together, there were also fundamental differences that set them apart. While Teba wasn't exactly popular among the current generation of children, he wasn't the primary focus of their scorn either. He also had friends as well.

Occasionally, they would come to watch the two practice, but as time went on, they too began to disappear until only one remained. Kass, the only one of Teba's friends who stayed by the child's side, did not seem to be bothered in the slightest as he watched the duo perform aerial feats that most couldn't even dream of accomplishing. Instead, he was consistently awed by the things he saw; however, even Kass stopped coming eventually. When Revali had asked after him, Teba had sullenly replied that his friend had gone to train as a bard.

As the months fed into years, the Rito, now considered a fully fledged young adult, found himself relying on Teba's company more and more. While he was still welcome in the Village, he no longer had any idea how to interact with the people there. Along with that, he had become a sort of local legend, making him someone that most found difficult to approach. He greeted the few that did dare approach him with the flamboyance he imagined would befit a legend.

To make matters worse, Kaneli was unable to visit as often as he once had. The leadership of the Village had begun to make changes as the Elder had fallen ill, forcing Kaneli to take on more responsibilities for the sake of the tribe.

It was an understandable decision (one he even approved of despite his wish that it had not happened). One of his greatest virtues was his ability to reason with others no matter how hotheaded or stubborn they were. He applied that same patience to ease the tribe into the next generation, at the expense of his time for Revali.

And so, Revali relied on Teba for the companionship.

His pupil began progressing so quickly that Revali had to step up his own training. At first, he had been a bit lost as to how he could improve, until he remembered the Rito's greatest weakness in terms of flight. They were forced to fight gravity with every flap as they tried to ascend. While it wasn't necessarily a problem now if it ever came to a fight he would be at a severe disadvantage if he wasn't already airborne. Thankfully, he'd already been in the midst of flight each time he had encountered a horde of monsters. An occurrence that was becoming more and more common as the days passed.

That wasn't the Rito's only concern though. He had noticed several contingents of Hylians gathering around the Village and the Hebra mountains to the North. When he had finally visited Kaneli to inquire about their presence, he had been informed that they were searching for something called a Divine Beast. Supposedly, the Hylian King was also looking for someone to pilot the Beast; however, Kaneli would say nothing more on the matter, but Revali couldn't help but think that Kaneli was worried for him.

As eager as Teba was to continue, Revali began sending him home earlier as the days continued on. He staved off the loneliness off by focusing on developing a technique to help him create an updraft, something that he hoped would overcome his greatest weakness. While he had a mastery of the air that not even Teba could hope to match, he was beginning to realize that he had only scratched the surface of his potential.

At first, he had thought it was impossible until he remembered that he didn't need to necessarily rely on just physical power to create an updraft, but there was a possibility of using magic. He lacked a true affinity for magic, only really being able to light bomb arrows without the need of an aid; however, the entirety of his life had been spent circumventing his own lack of strength.

His first attempts had been pitiful, but that was nothing new to the Rito. He persevered, eventually creating a weak wind tunnel that pushed him a few feet off the ground. While it was progress, it was not enough to satisfy him.

He kept striving, testing any and every method that could strengthen the weak funnel into a true updraft. It was a slow, painful process that didn't seem to be going anywhere for a long time until one day, in a fit of frustration, he flapped his wings as he released the magic. The wind moved by his wings added to the wind tunnel, causing it to grow in power as it swirled beneath him. He was flung into the air and tossed around like a child's doll before he was thrown out entirely. He crashed into the ground awkwardly as the updraft he had created continued on for a moment longer before dissipating entirely.

Revali hauled himself to his feet. Despite how much he had accomplished, how far he had come, it was not enough.

* * *

Revali stared down at the landing pad he had left the ignoble Hylian Champion. Apparently, not only had the boy thought it necessary to check in on him but had also shown a complete and utter disregard for the powerful updraft he had created. He had staged it all perfectly so that the Hylian could experience the full majesty of such a wind.

When he had finally made his appearance, he had found the same dopey, expressionless look on the Hylian's face.

He scoffed at the memory as he turned his back and delved deeper into the Divine Beast Vah Medoh. He had first met Link at the Champion's inauguration, and he had been less than impressed despite the Hylian Champion's reputation. The boy was almost as famous among his own people as Revali was amongst the Rito, yet he was rude and moronic. He couldn't even speak.

As such, he had expected to feel far superior to the boy, yet he didn't. He had soared to new heights that none had thought possible, had proven himself to be the unmatched master of a bow, and was on the verge of mastering his updraft, yet none of that mattered. He felt all of his accomplishments paling in comparison to the boy whose only noteworthy act was pulling a sword out of a pedestal.

None of what he had done so far was enough.

He had been the first pick to pilot Medoh (much to Kaneli's displeasure), which had been found not far from the Flight Range, which he had selected the spot for. Because of his victory in the archery contest years ago, his name and reputation had spread through Hyrule, and he had been greeted as a living legend within the confines of Castle Town. Soldiers and servants alike asked if his storied feats were true, asked for demonstrations, even asked if he would train them even a little.

And none of it was enough.

The boy hadn't even pulled the Sacred Sword from its sheath during the inauguration or any of the events that followed, and still, Revali could feel the power and skill the Hylian champion possessed. It hung over the Rito Champion like a storm cloud, making him feel tiny by comparison.

It didn't help that the other Champions also wielded great power and skill. He could see that even the Zora Champion, despite her timid, delicate appearance, could more than hold her own in a fight. She moved with a grace that only came from years of training as a warrior, even if she didn't look it.

The other two Champions were also fighters of the highest caliber. The Goron didn't even need to rely on skill as his nearly impenetrable skin and brute strength was enough to overcome any obstacle. The Gerudo Champion was known as a leader and a swordswoman. The stories of her prowess had escalated to the point where it was even said that lightning obeyed her command, or so he thought until he had witnessed it for himself.

They were all titans among the denizens of Hyrule, leaving him and the Hylian Princess far behind.

Zelda's name was the only one he had bothered learning, seeing as she was the only one who could possibly understand his position. He could see that same loneliness and desolation in her eyes that he felt. That question of whether or not they could even contribute in a group that seemed capable of moving mountains on their own.

Maybe that was why he had accepted Zelda's invitation to become a Champion, one an elite group that had come together to defend Hyrule from an ancient evil.

Despite his current lack of power, he was determined to climb to the top of his current food chain. He continued to refine and strengthen his newly developed technique, which he had dubbed Revali's Gale until it was capable of ripping things off the ground and throwing them high into the air. It was what he had used to properly introduce himself to the Hylian Champion, who hadn't been the least bit fazed by what most would consider an impressive display.

It still wasn't enough.

He trained with his bow, drawing and releasing until his fingers bled, all the while commanding Medoh, steering the Divine Beast through the air.

It still wasn't enough.

He proved himself time and time again as one challenge as another was thrown his way.

It was never enough.

No matter how many times he surpassed his own limits, he felt like the others were leaving him behind. No matter how often he proved himself competent, his allies didn't need him. No matter how hard he tried, he never felt as though he drew closer.

And it terrified him because no matter what he did, it was never enough. It seemed with each step he took, the others, especially the boy, took three more, causing him to fall further and further behind.

_His one consolation was Vah Medoh. No one else could command the Divine Beast, meaning that he was still needed even if he wasn't the strongest. Even then, the knowledge that he was the only one in Hyrule who could control Medoh wasn't much of a comfort. Even though legends and prophecies stipulated that all four of the Divine Beasts were necessary to defeat Calamity Ganon, he was sure that the other Champions would find a way to seal it away again without him._

_He continued his training relentlessly, even pushing Teba away as he fought desperately to catch up to the others, and never once feeling that his efforts were enough._


	29. For Your Sake

Mipha stared down at Revali as she moved her hands over him. She had awoken, surprised to find that she felt well rested for the first time in days. She was, however, not at all surprised to find her hand in Link's. He had always been thoughtful and was likely determined to make sure she slept well no matter how uncomfortable the position he had to take.

It had taken some time, but she had managed to wriggle her hand out of Link's and slip away without waking him.

It had been cold and dark when she left the inn, causing her to shiver as she made her way to Medli's home. Entering the young woman's house had been a trial all its own as she stepped over the mess that was Medli's room.

She had reached the Rito Champion and had forced herself to remain calm as she began healing him, or her best attempt at healing him.

If her normal power was a soothing river, then all she could manage now was a trickle. Even so, she was determined to make a trickle work.

She lost track of time as she used her energy to weave Revali's broken body back together. Had she had access to her full power, it would have taken her a little more than an hour. Now though, the sun was already well above the horizon before she had fixed the fractures in his chest. At the rate she was going, it would take her the rest of the day before Revali was fully healed.

The Zora Princess sighed as she realized in her haste to begin healing, she had neglected to eat anything. She was regretting that decision as her stomach protested her negligence. She would need to eat something soon if she was going to continue.

She was pulling her hand away from his chest when a platter of fish appeared next to her.

"Thought you might need this," Link said from behind her.

"How did you –"

"You forget to eat when someone needs help. How are you feeling?" he asked as he settled next to her.

"I feel okay," she replied as she picked up one of the fish. "Thank you… for everything."

Link nodded before his gaze shifted to Revali. "Are you able to heal again?"

"Yes, but not… quite the same as before." Admitting it was humiliating. She had been in full control of her power for years, and now it was like she was just discovering it all over again.

Not only was it embarrassing, but it was something that secretly worried her as well. She had always felt more comfortable with Link's reckless nature because she knew she could fix whatever harm befell him. Now, she was struggling to heal injuries that would have taken her minutes before. In emergencies, even a second could be the difference between life and death. With her power locked away as it was, she wasn't sure she could protect him the way she used to.

He said nothing, allowing her to concentrate on eating as he inspected the Rito Champion. "I'm going to leave the Village for a bit," he said quietly.

"What?" She struggled to keep her breathing in check as Link dug through his pouch and removed a few healing potions.

"A guy named Teba wants to train me to use a bow."

"Teba wants to train you?! Oh, sorry!" Medli exclaimed as Mipha did her best to choke in a ladylike fashion. She had nearly jumped out of her scales when Medli had spoken. Unfortunately for the Zora Princess, she had also taken a rather large bite of fish.

"It's… all right," she gasped out as Link patted her firmly on the back a few times.

"Yeah. He said to meet him on one of the landing pads this morning."

"I wonder if he's going to take you to the Flight Range," Medli said as she cocked her head to the side.

"The Flight Range?" Mipha asked as she wiped her watering eyes.

"Oh yes. Master Revali, the Rito Champion, though I'm sure you already knew about him if you were traveling with Kass, anyway, he had it built as his reward for winning the archery contest that we hold every fifty years. According to what the people who were there said, he was one of the few that didn't touch the ground at all, and he was the only one who hit every target. Oh, right! The Flight Range! So, Master Revali had it built as his reward and used it as a place to further hone his skills. Apparently, that was even the place he –"

Mipha exchanged a glance with Link as Medli continued prattling on about the Rito Champion. The Zora Princess wasn't sure what aspect she found most striking, Medli's plentiful knowledge of Revali and his accomplishments, the way she spoke of the Rito Champion as though he weren't the one laying injured in her own hammock, or the fact that Link could apparently shrug with just his eyes.

"- Oh! And Kass told me about this one time when –"

"I should get going," Link whispered as Medli showed no signs of stopping.

"Just promise me you will not do anything stupid."

Link nodded before standing.

"I'm sorry," Medli said quickly, "people tell me I talk too much."

"You are fine," Mipha replied quietly as Link left her with Medli, Revali, and a platter of fish. She had a feeling that she was going to learn a lot more about what the Rito girl thought she knew about Revali before the day was through.

Still, she couldn't really complain. Medli struck her as both sincere and well-meaning, traits that she admired greatly in others. Besides, there was a chance that she would learn something along the way.

* * *

Teba wondered if he was in the right state of mind to train anyone as he flew Link to the Flight Range. He had been ready to put an arrow through what must have been the Hylian Champion after what he had assumed was a bad joke, only to find his Master was indeed lying in Medli's home.

He hadn't been sure what to think as he stared down at the Rito who had trained him. His anger had certainly welled up. He had felt betrayed as one of the few people who had believed in him had sent him away time and time again just before the Great Calamity.

It had hurt far more than he cared to admit as his friend and mentor drifted further and further away. He had desperately needed the stability that the Rito Champion had provided. Even though Revali was more an oddity than anything else, he provided a strict regimen that had given his days a structure that his home life had lacked. His mother had loved him, but she was… eccentric to say the least.

There were some days where she allowed him some independence. She let him wander around and would save food for him as opposed to calling him back for meals. There were other days where she would barely let him out of her sight. The constant shift between independence and dependence caused him a great deal of anxiety as a child.

Once Revali had taken him under his wing, Teba's days became routine. He woke up at the same time each day, had scheduled exercises, and was held to the same standards each day. It was a relief to wake up, knowing what to expect and what was expected of him. It gave him a sense of what it was like to be an ordinary child.

At the same time, he couldn't deny the immense relief he felt when he saw that his Master was still alive, even if far from well. Truth be told, he was a little unnerved to see his childhood hero so battered and broken. He supposed that he had always made Revali invincible in his mind, but the reality was, he was no more invincible than any other Rito.

And, to make it as complicated as the various techniques Revali had taught him years ago, there was still the boyish voice that expressed his shock and amazement that his Master had not only survived but would likely take up the fight again. The child in him was still convinced that Revali was the greatest hero that had ever been and would ever be.

He set down outside the Flight Range and led Link inside. He glanced at the Hylian briefly as he retrieved extra arrows and a spare bow. The Hylian had barely said a word that morning. He would answer questions with as few words as possible, cutting out anything that was unimportant. It was a trait that Teba was currently appreciating to the fullest.

He wasn't much one for idle chatter; however, he understood that it was something that made people comfortable, so he would indulge them when they made small talk. Link didn't seem to want to make small talk, choosing instead to remain silent and wait for Teba to take the lead.

The Rito handed Link a bow and a quiver of arrows before leading him out onto the gusty platform.

"I know that you will likely struggle to hit anything more than those three," Teba stated as he gestured to the three closest targets to the platform. Even though they were relatively close to the platform, the constant, uneven updrafts from the hot springs below would make them difficult for the Hylian to hit unless he was adequately proficient with a bow. Considering the display that he had seen last night, he was sure that Link would pick up quickly even if he had never held a bow before.

Teba watched Link's first attempts, giving a few pointers and helping the Hylian adjust his grip and positioning as needed, but he quickly spaced out, thinking back to the times when he and Revali would spend hours on end there, developing and refining new techniques even as they practiced their tried and tested methods.

Even though he was not often given to nostalgia, the Flight Range was one of the few places that could pull something like sentimentality from him.

He brought himself out of his reverie long enough to find that Link was no longer on the platform. He looked around for the Hylian, trying to find where he had gone off to. His eyes widened as he saw the Hylian using a strange device that allowed him to catch the updrafts and float up. He then collapsed the device and pulled his bow, his normally stoic face bearing a determined glare.

Teba watched as the Hylian fired an arrow faster than his eyes could follow. The Hylian guided his gliding device back to the platform and stumbled back onto it, panting as he set his hands on his knees.

"How did you do that?" Teba asked as Link finally straightened, still short of breath.

"I don't know," Link muttered as he looked down at the bow. "Is this enchanted?" he asked as he held up the swallow bow.

"No."

The Hylian frowned before turning back towards the targets.

"Do you need to rest?"

"I can keep going. I'll need practice, so I can help Revali with Medoh."

"You two are intending to fight Vah Medoh?"

"It's why you're helping me train, right?"

"Right," Teba replied. He and Harth had recently tried to drive the Divine Beast away. While he and his friend had technically been successful, it had come at the cost of putting Harth out of commission for the time being, and Medoh had been drawing dangerously close again.

While Teba had faith in his abilities, he was not so confident as to attack the Divine Beast alone. Even from afar, the small sentries that guarded it appeared too powerful for even the most accomplished of the Rito Tribe to handle alone. His Master's current state was proof enough of that. He would need whatever help he could get to drive Medoh back.

Teba watched much closer as Link pulled out his bow in the air. He wasn't sure what was causing the Hylian to speed up, but even Teba, who had trained his eyes to see even the smallest and swiftest of movements, was unable to track the Link's movements as he shot the arrow again. He could see movement, but the exact motions were lost to him. It all registered as a blur in the air.

Link was visibly winded again, but he didn't land this time. He glided for a time before he pulled out his bow and took another shot. Teba could almost make out the exact motions that Link was making.

The Hylian nearly collapsed upon landing before he reached into the pouch at his hip and pulled out a green potion. He downed it before turning back again.

"You're moving too fast for me to give you pointers, but it looks- " he continued as he eyed the arrows placement in the targets "- like your only problem is that you aren't compensating enough for the updrafts. Aim a bit lower and you should be right on target."

Link's practice continued as hours flew by. Teba helped to correct his form and technique as best he could, but the Hylian's movements were too quick for him to keep track of. All he could do was analyze an arrow's placement and make a guess as to what the underlying issue was.

As Link progressed, he not only increased the number of shots between each break but the number of shots he could fire before pulling his paraglider back out. For someone who hadn't been much of an archer earlier that day, it was an impressive display. He still had many improvements to make, but their odds against Medoh were looking much more promising.

With their training finished, the duo packed up, but not before Teba gifted Link with a Falcon bow. It had the same draw speed as a Swallow bow, but required more strength, making it a more powerful weapon.

The trip back to the Village started as silently as the trip to the Flight Range; however, the silence was broken at the end by Link.

"Can you land there?" the Hylian asked curtly as he pointed towards a small, red Zora who was making her way through the Village hurriedly.

Teba angled downwards, causing the Zora to flinch as he landed in front of her. Link was off his back as soon as they had touched down.

'What's wrong?"

"Revali's disappeared!"

* * *

Revali had slipped away as soon as he had the chance. He had woken up in the Village to find a beautiful Rito girl watching over him. He was sure that it was some kind of head trauma and not the fact that he found Medli unnervingly gorgeous, that had caused him to say his name was Feathers when she had asked. After that, he had wanted nothing more than to disappear.

And so, he did disappear as soon as Medli had gone to find Mipha, praying that no one would see him.

He had made his way through the Village, his anxiety spiking far beyond healthy limits each time someone passed, but nobody took any notice of him at all. Their eyes would pass over him as though he were not there.

He wasn't sure where he was going or why, only that he needed to move, as though he could outrun the thoughts and memories that were plaguing him.

His loss to Dinraal was still fresh in mind, and now he could add another loss to the growing list. It burned at him relentlessly, causing a lump to grow in his throat and his eyes to burn. The loss to the dragon had burned enough, even though he had done all he could do, but his loss to Medoh had shattered any remaining confidence he'd had.

Medoh was his responsibility, the only reason that he had even become a Champion in the first place and now, he couldn't even handle his own Divine Beast. He wondered vaguely when the others would inform him that he would be staying in the Village after they left.

As he continued his wanderings, his thoughts drifted back to Teba. He wondered how his student was fairing. He wondered if he had cared for the Flight Range, whether or not he hated Revali, or if he even remembered him. He had always thought of Teba as a friend and had tried to be… kinder to him and Kaneli; however, he was all too aware that his treatment, later on, had been a point of tension between them. Thinking back on what he had said to Link and Mipha, he was beginning to see just how easy it was to hurt the people around him.

He swallowed, forcing his head forward in a futile attempt to help him complete the action. Even though it would change nothing, he would have to apologize for that.

His eyes burned even more as he thought back to his parents. He wasn't sure when he had convinced himself that they were dead, or even why he had so, but to fully remember the day they had abandoned him tore at him like Midna did her prey. He had tried so hard, and so long, even going so far as to pretend that he didn't exist, and still it hadn't been enough.

He wiped at his eyes as his eyes burned even more.

"Ooh! Ooh! Another story!"

"Genli, be polite!"

"You want another story? Very well, I suppose I shall tell you one more." Revali stopped when he heard the feminine voice. He knew it from somewhere. The Rito Champion cocked his head, trying to see through the hammocks and blankets that hung in the children's bedroom. On the other side, he saw a small group of children gathered around a golden-feathered Rito.

Revali knew that she was not their mother. He recognized the woman in an instant, she was the same one that had brought him back to the Village the day he had been left behind. Revali cocked his head to listen as she began her story.

"Once there was a child born to unloving parents. One day, they took the child to a forest, where they set him on a rock with a promise to return after they had attended to some business. They then left him behind, never to see him again."

"That's so sad," one of the children murmured.

"Shh. She hasn't finished yet."

"Luckily," the woman continued as though not hearing the interruption, "the Goddess found the child before any harm could befall him and brought the child into a new home. There the child was allowed to grow in safety; however, the child grew bitter. Not only had his parents abandoned him, but the other children looked down on him as well."

"The child continued growing in bitterness as the days passed. One day the Goddess returned to find him crying as he lay his head down to sleep."

"'Little one, why do you weep?' she asked as she came to him?"

"'I do not have a family to love me. The man you left me with is kind, but he doesn't love me as a mother and father or a brother and sister would."

"The Goddess heard the child's plea and, taking pity on him, set to work creating a family just for him."

"From the sands and lightning of the desert, she crafted a mother. From the stone and clay of the mountain, she molded a father. She bent the soothing waters of the river into the shape of a sister. And finally, in the fields, she sowed the seeds of a brother."

"When the child laid eyes on the family the Goddess had made, he grew even more bitter, for he detested the family that she had made him."

"'Why have you made these?' he asked angrily as She presented them to him."

"'These are the ones I have made for you.'"

"'Take them away!' the child replied."

"'What have they done to deserve your ire?' the Goddess asked the child."

"'I asked you for a family, yet you have given me those with whom I do not belong'"

"'Do you think me so foolish as to create a family into which you do not belong?' the Goddess questioned harshly. 'For though you have spurned her, your mother cares for you as surely as her other children. Though he has seen the worst of you, your father still has faith in you. The sister which I have given you has eased your aches and pains, though you refuse to do the same. What's more, it was on your brother's back that you were carried when you stood before the gates of Death. Tell me little one, what would you ask that I have not already given?'"

"The child did not answer, for, in his heart, he knew that what he desired was wrong."

"'You seek the love of the two that left you behind, do you not? That I cannot give you, and even if I could give this to you, I would not. These that I have made for you were made to replace what the two that left you would not give. Why then would you run from it?'"

"'I am scared,' the child replied."

"'You need not be,' the Goddess admonished gently as she embraced the child, 'for I am always at your side. It is through your mother that I show my love and your father that I teach you. When you are burdened, it is through your sister that I rest and restore you, and when you think you have reached your limits, it is through your brother that I remind you that you still have so much left to do. So, you see, little one, you need not fear what lies ahead, for your family and I will always be with you…'"

"When the child returned home, he embraced his family and made known his sorrow for his bitterness towards them. The child's family welcomed him back and from that day on, he faced each new day with a renewed vigor, as he had finally found his home."

With that, the woman quieted down as Kass and a green Rito woman began picking the children up.

"Thank you, miss Fi," Kass murmured quietly as the golden Rito stood.

"You are quite welcome," she replied graciously before she exited their home.

"Fi" met Revali's gaze for a second before she began making her way along the pathways leading to the top of the Village. Revali followed after her, maintaining a short distance between himself and Hylia. Eventually, she stopped as she turned to stare at the Village below.

"It has been a while, has it not, little one?"

"Why are you here?" Revali asked carefully as he joined her.

"If you were to hear a child crying out for help, would you not find the child to help?"

"Yes…"

"And what makes you believe I would do any different?"

They both stood in silence for a long time before Revali spoke again. "You could have made them come back for me. You… could have made them love me…"

"And would you have me make a four-sided triangle?" Hylia replied with a raised brow.

"What?"

"Since we are speaking of feats that are beyond me, I thought I would offer another." He could see that She knew what his next question would be. "Yes, I could have made them return for you, but I could not make them love you."

"And why is that?" the Rito Champion asked tightly.

"Love is an act of will, one that must be taken unconditionally. To coerce your parents to give of themselves would have been to warp the act beyond what could be called love."

"So, there's nothing you can do?" he asked bitterly.

"You really are a poor listener," the Goddess sighed as she turned her gaze back down to the Village. "I may not be able to make your parents love you, but that does not mean I have not done anything to help you. Have I not given you a family?"

"Some family they are…"

Hylia turned back to him before stretching out a feathered hand. "Take my hand. There is something I wish to show you."

The Rito Champion hesitantly took her hand. At once, the world shifted, taking him from the heights of the Rito Village to what appeared to be the insides of a house. "Where are we?"

"A land far from Hyrule," Hylia replied as she pointed towards one of the house's inhabitants. "Look."

Revali's stomach dropped as he recognized the pristine pink of his mother's feathers. Some part of him had always hoped to see her again, but now, when faced with the opportunity, he was no longer certain he could.

"Look, for they are unaware of our presence," Hylia commanded, prompting the reluctant Rito to look at his long-lost mother. He still thought her feathers were beautiful, even after so many years. He felt a small smile that died quickly as he continued watching her. As the woman who had laid his egg bustled around the cooking fire, he noticed a smile on her face.

"Why is she –"

He was cut off as his father entered before he could finish the question. The black-feathered Rito chirped a jovial greeting as he sat down at the table.

The Rito Champion's chest ached as he watched the two sit down at the table and begin talking niceties with large smiles on their faces. He had always wanted to see that expression on their faces, and now, years after they had left him for dead, he finally got to see it. He wasn't sure if it was happiness or bitterness welling up in him.

"You still do not see," Hylia commented, sounding far away. "Look closer."

Revali looked closer, but still only saw the smiling faces of his parents.

"Look past the surface. Look into their eyes. Listen to their voices."

Dreading what he was about to see, the Rito looked into his mother's eyes first. His stomach dropped further as he saw his green eyes reflected back at him. As he continued to look, he finally began to see what Hylia was trying to show him. The green of his mother's eyes was devoid of any spark to give them life. They were dead orbs that stared blankly before her. He shifted around to his father, seeing the same condition reflected in the dark blue irises.

Revali felt a chill as he backed away from the two; however, distance couldn't mask what he had seen. As he retreated, he could finally see how their smiles didn't reach their eyes. They stopped halfway in the middle, contorting their faces as they remained frozen in that same expression.

The Rito Champion couldn't stop himself from listening as he reached the wall. It was then that he heard them repeating themselves time and time again. He listened as they spoke of how happy they were, how grand their life was. The same words used over and over again I what sounded like a vain attempt to convince themselves that their feelings did indeed match their words.

He couldn't stand to look at the lifeless husks any longer. "What's wrong with them?" he asked weakly.

"They have convinced themselves that they are experiencing life to the fullest. To them, true joy is found where there is no pain or hardship, so they run from it."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I would think you would have the answer by now," Hylia murmured as she watched the two Ritos sadly. "They take what they believe makes them happy and discard any responsibility, any discomfort in an attempt to maintain the illusion they live in."

"Can't you do anything?"

"I tried," Hylia murmured, stepping towards the two as they continued eating, completely oblivious to their visitors. "I gave them a gift that would have set them on the path to finding that happiness that they so desperately seek, but they rejected you too."

"So, what can we do?" he asked. He wasn't sure where the desperation was coming from, or why he cared so much for them.

"Nothing," the Goddess replied sadly as she cupped his mother's cheek in her hand. "This is what they have chosen for themselves, and they refuse to change."

Revali opened his mouth to retort but couldn't find the words to say. He closed his beak, looking back at his parents and regretting it the instant he did.

"This is what you have asked of me," Hylia stated as she stepped in front of him. "Now, let me show you what I would offer you."

Revali took her outstretched hand as they were taken out of the house and away from the lifeless cadavers that had been his parents. Suddenly, they were in the midst of a field blanketed by snow; however, he had no time to look around.

"Hey… Urbosa… let me know… if ya need a break."

"I think I'm… keeping it together… better than you."

He turned around to see Daruk and Urbosa jogging towards him. Both looked disheveled, which didn't surprise him coming from Daruk. The Goron Champion did his best to remain what he considered to be presentable, but his hair and beard were often a tangled mess. Urbosa on the other hand, went to great lengths to care for her long, fiery red hair. She washed and brushed it at every opportunity to make sure that it kept its healthy sheen. Now though, it lacked its usual luster in favor of a stringy, wispy mess.

"Tha… that's a load of…"

"Less talking," Urbosa panted as they continued their long, quick strides.

Without any prompting from Hylia, Revali looked into the eyes of the two winded Champions. Instead of seeing lifeless orbs, their eyes were filled with a fire he had never noticed. The spark he saw filled their eyes, giving them a vitality that was pushing them through their current exhaustion.

"When I get ahold of those two…" Urbosa growled.

"Thought you said… less talking…"

"That only… applies to you!"

Revali almost chuckled. Urbosa was so winded that her exclamation lacked its usual bark and instead came out as a gasp.

"They are rather humorous, aren't they?" Hylia asked as she smiled fondly at the two as they finally passed their audience.

Revali turned to watch their backs for a moment before Hylia spoke again.

"That is not all," Hylia said, "I have one more thing I wish to show you."

Revali took her hand as the scenery shifted once again.

"I'm going to wring his neck!"

Revali shuddered as he watched an angry Zora Princess storm through the Village followed by Link.

"I think you should take it easy on him," Link replied calmly as Mipha continued her search. All around them, the villagers were eyeing them warily before disappearing.

"No, I'll wring his neck Link. I haven't even started on the mangled mess we are calling a wing."

"Mipha –"

"By the time I am through with him, he'll need his good wing repaired as well."

Link chose to remain silent this time; however, they were quickly joined by Medli as she landed unsteadily next to them.

"I still haven't… found… Master Feathers," she panted as she straightened herself.

"His name isn't…"

"I've flown through the Village several times and haven't found him," Teba called as he landed with them.

"Oh! Teba, are you helping us look?"

"Why wouldn't I be helping?" Teba asked.

"I just didn't think you had time to help us search for Master Feathers."

Revali was grateful that they couldn't see him as he felt an uncomfortable heat creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.

"Who?"

"She means Revali," Mipha replied as she began moving towards the top of the Village.

"Right," Teba replied, clearly confused by the pseudonym that Revali had unintentionally used.

"Revali…? But he told me- wait! He's named after the Rito Champion?"

"Hardly," Teba scoffed, "he is the Rito Champion."

"What- but -he- I- "

Revali was impressed at how many words Medli could string together incoherently as Mipha became more and more impatient.

"I do not mean to be rude, but we have to find him quickly," the Zora Princess stated diplomatically, hiding the immense anger she had been expressing to Link just a few minutes prior.

"I think we can leave them now," Hylia murmured as Medli and Teba took off again while Link and Mipha continued their search on the ground. The scene faded, bringing them back to railing they had been standing at.

"So- "

"Master Fea – Revali!" His head snapped around at the sound of Medli's voice. "Thank goodness I found you!" she gasped out as she nearly crashed into him. He helped steady her, grimacing as he forgot about his injured wing. "Have you been here this entire time?!"

"Not exact- "

"Oh, I think Mipha is really upset! She looks cool and composed, but she was a lot nicer earlier when you were lying down, and now she's all impatient and –"

" _Little one,"_ a voice whispered in his ear as Medli continued her nervous ramblings, _"I offer you this choice: you may run from it all and I will ensure that none can find you, or you may embrace the path I set for you with the knowledge that I am ever at your side. Choose well Little one, for once the choice is made, I will not allow you to take it back."_

"- Master Fea – Revali? Are you all right?"

"Yes…" he replied uncertainly as he looked around for Hylia, but just like on Mount Lanayru, she was nowhere to be found.

"We should get you back to my house, so you can get some rest," Medli said firmly.

"…Right."

For some inexplicable reason, all he wanted was to lie down and stop thinking for a while.

* * *

"Was there some impulse that commanded you to do the most irresponsible thing you could think of?" Mipha asked as she held the Rito Champions injured wing with a vice-like grip. "What made you think that you should not only attack a Divine Beast on your own but then disappear with an injured wing?"

Link's eyes flicked back and forth between the four other people in the room. Initially, Teba had joined in on the reprimand that was taking place; however, his calmer voice had quickly been overridden by Mipha's tirade. Medli hadn't spoken a word since she had informed them that she had escorted Revali back to her home. The Rito girl looked like she wanted to be anywhere but where she currently was.

He sympathized with the Rito Champion. He could remember a few instances from his childhood when Mipha had caught him in the aftermath of a particularly poor decision. He wondered idly if that was how she had responded when he had supposedly blocked a Guardian's blast with a pot lid.

"Were you even thinking?"

"No…" Revali muttered as he continued staring at the floor. Link was caught off guard by the small, meek response. He had been expecting Revali to escalate the issue like he normally would, but instead, he answered the question without any bite.

"Then what exactly were you doing?" Mipha asked expectantly as she continued to heal his wing.

"I was… talking to our friend," he replied as he looked up and exchanged a glance with Mipha first and then Link. "The one from Mount Lanayru."

Mipha and Link froze. The Hylian Champion had been expecting to hear many things, but a conversation with the Goddess was not one of those things.

"And, how is she?" Mipha asked, her anger momentarily reined in.

"I think she's upset with me."

"As she should be!"

"I think that's enough," Link said quietly before the Zora Princess could say any more. She sent him a defiant glare, but he cut her off before she could retort, "I think Daruk and Urbosa will have their bit."

"You are correct," Mipha sighed. He could see there was more she wanted to say, but she let it go for the time being.

He stepped up to her and leaned down, "I think you should take a break. You've been at it for hours."

"I am okay."

She was a terrible liar.

"Take a break," he repeated firmly. She frowned at him; however, it ended quickly as he held up the Slate.

"Very well," Mipha sighed as she took the proffered item. She retreated to the other side of the room, where she began tapping controls on the Slate's face.

"I didn't realize she was so… fierce," Teba said quietly as he sidled up to Link.

"She hates it when her friends get hurt," Link replied as he kept a close eye on his friend. "She's also been struggling with something the past few days."

"I see." Teba did not pry any further into the matter, something for which the Hylian was grateful.

He felt an odd sort of kinship with the Rito archer. He wasn't prone to small talk and didn't try to poke his beak into private matters. He said or asked only what he believed needed to be shared. It wasn't rude, he just didn't see the need for meaningless pleasantries, something that Link understood well.

"May I ask what you are reading?"

Link looked over to find Medli leaning over Mipha's shoulder, while Teba left his side to speak with Revali quietly.

"Nothing yet. I am still looking," the Zora Princess replied absently as she continued tapping controls.

"Wait! May I see that one?" Medli asked, her voice rising in excitement. Link noticed that Revali was also now paying attention to the two.

"Yes, though I am unable to read it."

"Maybe I can help," Medli replied as Mipha handed the Slate over to her. "Oh, my. This is written in an old Sheikah dialect, older than I'm familiar with."

"You can read old languages?" Revali asked from across the room. Link was surprised that Revali had taken such an interest in the conversation. He had a habit of blocking out topics that didn't involve anything he found noteworthy. He couldn't imagine that a near death experience would change that aspect of his personality.

"Some of them. I think I'll only be able to read tidbits of this one though," Medli said as she frowned down at the words in front of her.

"Wish I could do that," Revali grumbled as he lay back in the hammock.

Link tried to exchange a questioning glance with Mipha, but she was too enthralled watching Medli set to work.

"What?" Revali asked defensively. Link turned back to find Teba staring at him with an incredulous look on his face.

"Since when are you interested in anything remotely related to the past?"

"Tastes change," Revali retorted as he closed his eyes and looked away.

"You called it a frivolous waste of time."

"I did not!"

"Yes, you did! Remember when Kaneli was trying to teach me about Rito history when you returned from one of your trips to Hyrule Castle and you two –"

"I said no such thing!"

Link watched as Teba and Revali continued arguing. He hadn't realized that Teba had the capacity to get worked up; however, he had no qualms with snapping back at Revali.

"It's really hard to concentrate with you two arguing," Medli cut in distantly. At once, Revali closed his beak and set to watching her intently.

"You can't be serious," Teba muttered.

Revali shot him a look for a split second and then returned his gaze to the Rito girl.

"Back then, women tried to woo you all the time, and you paid them no mind, and you've known her for a few hours and already you're like an obedient dog."

"I am not!"

"You used to be so cool…"

"I am not a dog!"

"Will you both be quiet!" Medli snapped as both she and Mipha glowered at the two.

Link stared between the men and the women before sighing and motioning for Mipha and Medli to follow him. "Keep him in line," he muttered to Teba before leading the two women outside.

He guided the two women along several walkways before choosing a spot for them to focus on what they were doing. It didn't really matter as the two girls were already back to poring over the Slate as Link turned back towards Medli's house. He could still hear the arguing, but it was greatly subdued.

"Hmm," Medli sighed as she angled the Slate, as though changing the orientation of the writing would help her make sense of it.

"What is it," Mipha asked quietly.

"Well, from what I can make out, it looks like an account of some sort. Apparently, beings called the –" she squinted down at the Slate as she tried to read the name, " – the Chiza… no, the Chozo came through some kind of door. From the looks of it, the Chozo helped the Sheikah construct… weapons of some sort… uh…"

She set the Slate down and motioned towards one of the characters on its face. "In more recent dialects, this means something like 'god-like power.'"

"Like the Divine Beasts?"

"Maybe… and this one right here is referring to some sort of army." Medli's face pinched up as she continued attempting her translation. "Anyway, there isn't much more other than that the Chozo made some sort of promise."

"What kind of promise?" Mipha asked.

"Something about a time of dire need and a Huntress… I don't know, I can't make it out. Sorry," she apologized as she handed the Slate back to Mipha.

"No, no, that was most interesting."

"I wonder how much of it is true," Medli sighed as she looked up, "Kass used to tell me that all legends are based partially on fact, so I can't help but wonder… is any of it true?"

"I don't know," Mipha murmured quietly. "Perhaps we could discuss it more in the morning? It is getting quite late. Would you mind if I stayed with you tonight? I am worried that Revali may try to sneak off again."

"Don't worry!" Medli chirped. "He's rather polite, so I think I can handle him. Have a good night!" she called over her shoulder as she returned to her home.

Link and Mipha exchanged a puzzled glance. That didn't sound like the Rito Champion they knew at all.

"You know…" Mipha trailed off as she Link made their way back down to the inn.

"What?"

"Is it just me or does Revali act differently around Medli?"

"He does," Link agreed.

"You don't think he's developing a crush on her, do you?"

"No," Link replied as they made it back to the inn. Revali was unpredictable at times, but there was a certain predictability to it.

"Yes… I suppose that would be quite out of character for him, wouldn't it?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anybody catch that super subtle Metroid reference?


	30. Draw Four

"I hope I am not intruding."

Revali turned to find Kaneli in Medli's door. His former guardian was older and much rounder than he remembered. Most Ritos were reminiscent of hawks or eagles, but Kaneli, with his rounder and softer features, had always reminded him of an owl.

He looked over to find Medli mumbling about something in her sleep. Kaneli chuckled as he noticed it too. "Has she always been like this?"

"Hmm? Talkative? Yes and no."

"What?" Revali asked. He had no idea what Kaneli meant by that.

"She used to be even more talkative when she was younger, but she keeps to herself more often these days," Kaneli replied.

"Oh…" Keeping to oneself was something he understood better than anyone. It had defined his life before the Calamity, and if he wasn't careful, it would define the rest of his life as well.

He felt sorry for the poor girl. He had never cared for isolation, but he disliked the pervasive loneliness of the Village even more. Knowing that someone else had suffered a similar kind of pain wasn't comforting at all. If anything, it made him feel worse.

"Oh, don't worry. Kass and the rest of her family keep her busy, and she is on good terms with Teba as well."

"Teba?" He wondered briefly if there was something going on between Medli and Teba.

"Kass and Teba remained friends, so she grew up around him. He's like another older brother to her."

"I see…"

"There's nothing romantic between the two of them," Kaneli chuckled as he settled next to Revali.

"That wasn't a concern of mine," he lied as he turned away. "… And how would you know?"

"Because Teba is married and has a son."

"He what?!"

"Shh," Kaneli chided as Medli shot up. The white feathered Rito peered around blearily for a few seconds before she settled back down and resumed her incomprehensible mumblings.

"He has a wife and kid?"

"He does." Revali wasn't sure why, but Kaneli didn't seem at all surprised that he didn't know about Teba's family. It annoyed him.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

"He doesn't consider it important to others."

"What do you mean?"

"You should know by now that he isn't one to talk about personal matters. He talks about what he thinks is necessary for you to know."

"We used to talk about things like that." It was one of the things he had enjoyed during his time with Teba. They had talked about things that only friends would discuss. Apparently, the trust that had been shared between the two was no longer there.

"It's been a long time and, as I recall, you two didn't leave on the best of terms."

It was true. During the final months before Ganon broke loose, the Rito Champion had steadily pushed his student further and further away. He hadn't considered it at the time, but it must have been difficult for Teba. Revali was more than aware of his friend's home life as he'd had the misfortune to meet Teba's mother on more than one occasion.

"Is he… upset with me?"

"For a long time, he was. He held quite the grudge against you but, as is the case for many men, he got married and had a child. It worked wonders on him."

"Good."

"Yes. I was happy that Saki managed to do what I couldn't."

"What?"

"I tried my best to stay close to Teba after the Great Calamity. I was worried that he would go off and do something horribly stupid. Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do about it."

"Sorry…" He hadn't meant to say it, but he meant it all the same. Kaneli gave him a questioning look as he sighed. "I should have been here."

"I'm glad you weren't," Kaneli replied as he shifted his gaze over the Village. "I wanted more for you than the memories this place held for you. I suppose, though, there may be something more now," he chuckled as he gazed back at Medli.

"It's not like that," he growled vehemently.

"It's been a century and you've only gotten worse at lying," Kaneli sighed.

An awkward silence fell over the two as they continued staring over the Village. It had been a long time since he had shared a moment with his former guardian. It was bittersweet, seeing as they had never been particularly close.

"So, may I presume that you will be attempting to take back Medoh?" Kaneli asked with a deathly quiet.

"Yes, but… I'm not sure I can." After his first botched attempt, he wasn't sure that he had what it would take to free Medoh, even with Teba and Link.

"That doesn't sound like the Revali I know."

The Rito Champion remained silent as he stared out over the Village. There was so much he was unsure of and there seemed to be little in the way of answers. The only thing that he had learned was that he was nowhere near as good as he had thought he was.

Or maybe he had always known it and was trying to run from it.

"You know, there was one thing I always admired about you," Kaneli said as he turned back to the Rito Champion.

"Which is?"

"Your tenacity. You never let anyone determine what you were capable of. If you were knocked down, you got back up and threw yourself back into it, regardless of what anyone said. It was a quality I wish I had."

"I think I've reached my peak." Throwing himself at the next challenge was all he had in his younger years. It kept him busy and required enough of him that he didn't have time to think. As he threw himself at his challenge, he learned to excel. Now though, it didn't seem to matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't overcome it this time.

"I don't think so," Kaneli replied simply.

"What?"

"You always focused in, which allowed you to excel at what you do; however, there is only so much you can do with one skill set. Maybe it's time to diversify."

"Maybe." He couldn't even fathom where he was supposed to start or if that was even the correct thing to do. It took him years to master the bow and years longer to learn to apply that and his mastery of the air in battle. To think that he had to start from scratch was almost disheartening in a way.

Despite that, he also considered the possibility that expanding his repertoire would help to make him even more versatile. If he were to devote serious thought to it, his biggest weakness was close range combat. Though the idea had never appealed to him, it was looking as though it were time to learn to fight at close range.

It may be time to learn to properly use a blade.

"I can see you a have a lot to think about, so I will leave you to it. Just promise me that you will be careful."

"I'll do my best."

"Good. Now get some rest, you'll need your strength."

Kaneli gave him a nod before removing himself from Medli's house. Revali lay back down and stared at the sky as his thoughts continued to drift. He wasn't sure what to make of any of it: his parents, his childhood, his time amongst the Champions.

While he still couldn't say he cared for them much, he also couldn't claim that much of his earlier behavior towards them was warranted. He had been quite terrible towards them in spite of the fact that they had made him one of them. They had stayed by his side even at his some of his worst moments. It was ironic that the only reason they hadn't been there when he needed them was that he had run away.

He drifted into a restless slumber as he tried to think of a way to let them know he was sorry.

* * *

Revali huffed as he continued preening himself. The sun had only just come up, and already he could tell what kind of day he'd be having. He had woken to the croaking of a toad that had somehow gotten into Medli's home, which had annoyed him immensely. Despite his objections, Medli had insisted that they name the stupid creature something equally ridiculous.

Not long after, she had left to find food but not before she had set the toad on one of her shelves, leaving the Rito Champion alone with the thing. Bored out of his mind and utterly annoyed by the croaking, Revali began "having a conversation" with it. It would croak, and he would give the nonsensical meaning and then respond. It was a complete and utter waste of time.

And something Medli had found absolutely adorable when she had come back without his knowing (his face was still burning from that one).

He had glared daggers at the toad out of the corner of his eyes as Medli had informed them both of how thrilled she was that they were getting along.

If the toad and the embarrassing encounter weren't enough, Mipha had come by for an early morning healing session. It wasn't the healing that had grated on his nerves, but the warning that had followed. She had suggested not so subtly that she would hunt him down if he pulled a stunt like he had the night before. He wanted to remind her that he hadn't meant to raise a ruckus; however, he knew better. She would not respond well to any form of provocation, so he shut his beak and took it.

Mipha and Medli then left so that the Rito girl could show the Zora Princess around. Mipha had been reluctant at first, but Medli and Link had managed to convince her that she had been far too stressed lately and she needed to unwind.

He supposed he couldn't disagree with the statement. The Zora Champion appeared to be one day away from snapping. Considering how she ha been behaving since he had regained consciousness, he didn't want to find out what happened when she reached the end of her rope.

It hadn't ended there though. When he had left Medli's home the night before, he hadn't taken the time to look at himself. He hadn't been aware of how dirty and disheveled he was. What was left of his tunic was worn and threadbare, he was caked in dirt, blood, and dead leaves, and to top it all off, his feathers refused to cooperate.

He growled as he continued doing his best to preen himself. Link had left after taking one long look at him. Apparently, even the rugged Hylian Champion couldn't bother to look at him anymore. He continued the useless endeavor, hoping to make himself look at least somewhat presentable.

"Here," Link muttered from behind him. Revali looked over his shoulder to find Link holding a bowl of water, a towel, and a new tunic.

"…Thanks." It took everything in him to not send a verbal barb towards the Hylian as he took the proffered items and turned his back. He bathed and changed quickly as Link pulled the Slate out and began tapping the face.

His mood improved as he removed the blood and dirt from his person and finally got his feathers into order. It wasn't much of a victory, but it was something and he was willing to take whatever he could get.

"Is that a –"

"His name is Slippy," Revali interrupted as he pulled the tunic on. It wasn't a perfect fit, but at least it was more than the rags he had been wearing. "It was between that and Jeremiah," Revali sighed as the Hylian gave him a skeptical look.

"Slippy is better," he agreed.

An awkward silence fell over the two as they looked through the clutter that Medli had yet to clean up. "So…" Revali trailed off as he searched for the words he needed. He wanted to apologize for the way he had treated the Hylian Champion. While he had said the worst thing to Mipha, he had still treated Link far worse for much longer.

He had gone to lengths to prepare himself for the moment. He had decided on what he wanted to say, and how he would say it, and had even spent a great deal of time the night before rehearsing. Now, when it was finally time, he no longer had the words he needed.

What was he supposed to say? What could one say when there were months, if not years of wrongdoings to atone for?

Would Link even accept an olive branch? "Never mind," he finished lamely. Link just shrugged before he settled down and began his routine counting and sorting of supplies.

Revali fidgeted uncomfortably as he watched Link. He hated sitting idly as he had all morning. He looked for something, anything, to do take up his time and thought.

Eventually, he settled for straightening the baubles on his hostess' shelves. After a fair amount of tinkering, shifting, and dusting, he had the shelves looking good as new. He had even managed to fit a few more of the trinkets. It wasn't much, but it took time and effort. He had to make sure that the shapes, sizes, and colors all complimented each other properly, otherwise, it would gnaw at him until he fixed it.

The Rito Champion looked around for anything that came close to resembling a basket. He didn't have much in the way of clothing, but Medli had an entire wardrobe on the ground. Even a small bin of some sort would make it easier for her to find and wash them.

"Are you sure she would be okay with you doing that?" Link asked as he replaced all of his items back into his pouch.

"I need to do something," Revali grumbled. He grimaced as he picked up one particularly old tunic. He shook his head, dispelling whatever thoughts he had as he created two separate piles of clothes: ones that could be kept and washed, and ones that should be destroyed.

"Build Slippy a house," Link said.

"What?"

"Build the toad a house."

"Let me rephrase: why?"

"She likes the toad?"

"She gave it a name."

"Build it a house."

Revali took a deep breath as his question remained unanswered. He understood what Link was telling him to do; however, the idea of making Slippy a house was a bit much.

"Hey, can I look through your pockets?" Link asked.

"What in Din's name –" Revali wanted to kick himself as he realized what the Hylian Champion had been getting at. While he still didn't much care for Link, he at least knew he could trust him; however, he still wasn't comfortable with the Hylian rummaging through his belongings. Now he was rummaging through someone else's belongings when she was all but a perfect stranger.

He would have been upset if it happened to him.

"Let's go," Revali stated as he walked out of the house.

"Where are we going?"

"The store. I don't have the materials to make a small house."

Link said nothing, but Revali could tell the Hylian didn't entirely trust him. Link stuck close by and refused to let him out of his sight for even a second.

Revali began perusing the shops' wares. He selected more slabs of wood then he truly needed; however, it would be nice to have the extras should he mess something up. He also gathered resin and a bowl. He was about to start touring their bow selection when Link finally spoke up. "We need to hurry."

"Why? Because Mipha and Medli will freak out?"

"No. Teba said he was going to drop by later so we could make a plan for Medoh."

Revali stopped momentarily at the Hylian's words. He bit back his retort and swiftly made his way to the counter. He paid for the goods, made his way back to Medli's home, and set to his task, all without saying a word. He didn't want to talk about Medoh, he didn't want to talk about what came next. In fact, he wanted to stop thinking about it altogether.

He had been unable to sleep for a long portion of the previous night, but even with the bountiful time to think, he had reached his decision quickly and had tried to avoid thinking about it after that.

His Hylian companion said little, only giving him a few pointers on cutting and applying the resin. As Revali continued his small project, he sent Link to fill the bowl with water. When the Hylian gave him a questioning look, he reminded him that frogs were amphibians. He promised that he wouldn't go anywhere or overexert himself.

True to his word, the Rito Champion remained seated on the floor as he fitted the planks of wood he had cut together, glued them, and then fitted them with others. He had originally thought that the project would be mindless, but it proved otherwise. He didn't have room to focus on anything else as he built a level of flooring above the base. If he were to include the bowl in the house, then his design had to accommodate it. So, he planned around the bowl.

He was glad that he'd had the foresight to buy extra wood, as the little house was turning out bigger than he had anticipated. So much so that it wouldn't be able to fit on any of Medli's cramped shelves.

Revali was so focused that he didn't notice Link's return or Teba's arrival.

"What are you doing?" Teba asked suddenly. Revali was so startled that he didn't notice the oblong package that Teba was carrying.

"What does it look like?" Revali asked dryly as Link handed him the bowl.

"It looks like you're building a house for that toad."

"Yep."

"Who are you?" Teba asked incredulously.

"Someone who needed something to do," Revali grumbled as he continued construction, despite the heat that was slowly building in his face.

"Fair enough," Teba sighed as he sat across from the Rito Champion. Revali had figured that his former student wouldn't press further after he had given him the answer. He had once confided in Teba that the reason he trained so hard was to help him get through difficult times.

"So, Medoh?" Link asked as he joined the two.

"Yes," Teba replied as he turned back to Revali, "I was thinking Revali would be able to formulate the most solid plan."

The Rito Champion said nothing as the other two gave him an expectant gaze. He didn't even look up, instead choosing to watch them carefully out of the corner of his eye.

"Revali?"

He sighed as he set the piece he had been holding on the floor. "No offense," he started as he made eye contact with Link, "but you're going to be the most limited in this fight."

Link nodded, completely unfazed by the Rito's bluntness.

"That's why you're going to knock the shield out." He had thought that the most important role would be delegated to himself; however, any plan that put him in that role had a low chance of being successful. Not to mention the fact that it would likely result in Link's death.

"So, I assume that means that you and I will be handling the rest of Medoh's defenses?" Teba asked.

"Right," he said before turning back to Link. "We'll do our best to keep Medoh's sentries off of you, but you'll have to be quick about taking Medoh's shield down. Think you can handle it?"

Link nodded.

"Good." While he still didn't care for asking for help, it hadn't been nearly so bad as he thought. Maybe it was the realization that he truly couldn't do it on his own, or maybe it was that Link and Teba had come knowing that they would be needed.

"We'll need bomb arrows, and decent bows," Teba mused. "Our Falcon bows should be sufficient, but yours- "

"Will need replacing," Revali finished.

"I figured as much," Teba replied as he handed the package over. "Luckily for you, I locked this away for a while."

Revali tore the wrapping away to find a deep blue bow with white accents. At the tips of the bow were yellow highlights in the shape of small wings. The weapon even possessed sights for aiming; however, it was more for show than anything. They were far enough away from the middle of the bow to make them useless when it came to the intended purpose.

He held it up in wonder. It vaguely reminded him of another bow he had used long ago. The Eagle Bow, the greatest of the weapons he had made, had been smaller and without the sights but the resemblance was still uncanny.

"What is this?"

"The Great Eagle Bow," Teba answered. "I locked the Eagle Bow away after the Great Calamity. Because of… how things were when you left, I wanted nothing to do with it. Eventually, Harth found it and asked if he could take it as a model. From it, he created this."

Revali stood as drew the bow, eyes widening at the strength required.

"He only made one," Teba chuckled as Revali managed to get a half draw on the bow. "Not many can even begin drawing that. It's one of the most powerful bows, but it can also do something else that most bows can't."

"Which is?" Revali asked as he released the tension slowly. He was currently wishing he had more of his former strength.

"I'm sure you noticed the sights."

"Yes."

"The sights help aim up to two other arrows."

Revali smirked as he analyzed the weapon he held. No wonder it required such strength to wield. To not only shoot one, but three arrows at once required a tremendous amount of force. He just hoped he would be able to adapt to it quickly.

"Let's go to the –"

"No," Link interrupted.

"I'm not planning on doing –"

"No," the Hylian repeated.

"I'm inclined to agree. You're still recovering from your injuries."

"Fine," Revali sulked as he set the bow down and settled back in front of Slippy's house where he resumed his miniature construction project.

"At least that's familiar," Teba sighed.

"What is?"

"The pouting."

"I'm not pouting," Revali grumbled as he spread resin along the edge of a wall.

"You remind me of Tulin when I told him he wasn't old enough to go to the Flight Range."

"I'm not pouting!" Revali snapped as he glared at Teba. He shifted his attention to Link for good measure, only to find that the Hylian was doing his best to stave off a grin. "I hate you both."

"Grow up," Teba sighed as he stood. "I need to get going," he said as he made his way to the door, "I promised Saki I wouldn't spend much time away today. I'll see you both tomorrow."

"Bye," Revali muttered as he set the bowl inside the house. He considered adding a fourth wall but decided against it. It would make it more difficult to refill the water bowl and clean the inside.

He stepped back as he looked over his work. To say it was rough around the edges was an understatement, but it was passable.

"Come here," he said as picked Slippy up. He carried the slimy creature over to the house and showed it the accommodations he had prepared. The frog leaped out of his hands and settled in the bowl. "Well, I suppose it will work." He watched the frog sit in its makeshift pool for a moment longer before turning away. "Now what?"

Link pulled out a small purse and sat down. From the small sack, he began removing small tiles that he began mixing around.

"What are you doing?"

"I picked this up earlier," Link replied as he dealt two small piles of tiles. Link replaced the rest of the tiles in the sack, drawing one and placing it face up next to the sack.

Revali recognized the game instantly. A large portion of the Rito workforce consisted of couriers, which required the ability to sort mail based on certain criteria. In order to train new workers, a system had been set up in which workers had to quickly sort through mail, based on color and a variety of symbols, as quickly as they could.

One worker had the brilliance to develop a game around the concept; however, there were several changes. For starters, the colors and symbols had been separated so that each symbol was featured in every color and vice versa. The goal of the game was to be the first to play every single tile from a player's personal pile by either playing a symbol of any matching color or a color of any matching symbol. If a player was unable to match the color or Symbol, they were forced to draw another tile and forfeit their turn.

While the game sounded simple, it was far from. There were special tiles that could change the course of the game by forcing a player to draw more tiles, skipping an opposing player's turn, reversing the order, and even allowing one to change the color or symbol at play entirely. It was either a straightforward game or pure chaos.

He had only ever played it a few times with Kaneli and had been unimpressed. Supposedly, though, it was much more fun with a larger group.

"Fine," he muttered as he sat down across from Link. "It's not like I have much else to do."

The game started off simply. Revali played the first card and Link followed suit. Their turns continued relatively simply until Revali skipped Link's turn.

"Sorry," Revali snarked as he played the tile, "but I'm going to win." He narrowed his eyes slightly as Link's eye twitched, but he shrugged it off as he played another tile. "Your turn."

Link's expression never changed as he set his tile down. Revali's eyes narrowed further as he was forced to draw two tiles and lose the rest of his turn. "Red," Link said suddenly.

"What?"

"Red," Link repeated as he placed a tile down that allowed him to change the color of tiles at play, but that wasn't its only effect. It also forced Revali to draw another four tiles.

"I hate you," he growled as he eyed his new tiles.

"Hate you too," Link replied as he drew another tile.

"Wait. Do you not even have any red tiles?"

"Nope."

"Then why in Din's name would you change it to red?!"

"It's my favorite color," Link replied absently as he looked at his tiles.

"You're not even taking this seriously, are you? You realize that friendships end because of this game, right?"

Link gave him a skeptical frown.

"Master Revali is right," Medli said from the other side of the room.

"That is a bit extreme," Mipha added with a small frown.

"How long have you two been there?" Revali asked his heart rate spiking at the shock.

"They've been here a while," Link replied as he eyed Revali. "Your turn."

"Whatever."

The game continued on calmly for a few more minutes before the sparks began flying again.

"I'm going to put an arrow –"

"Draw four tiles."

"- through that stupid –"

"Draw. Four. Tiles," Link repeated as he stared dully at the Rito.

" – grin of yours," Revali finished as he drew even more tiles.

Link set his last tile down, matching the symbols and earning his victory.

"Why would you have me draw four tiles if you're just going to play your last tile then and there?!"

"Calm down, Master Revali, it's all in good fun."

"No… this is war," Revali growled as he gathered all the tiles quickly and, placing them in the sack, shook it quickly before dealing two new piles of tiles.

"May I play as well?" Medli asked excitedly as she sat down next to them.

"I don't care," Revali replied, his nerves being completely overwhelmed by his determination to beat Link. He quickly dealt Medli in as well.

"Mipha, are you going to play?" Link asked.

Revali's gaze shifted towards the Zora Princess to find her turning over a letter nervously. She took a deep breath before saying, "not this time"

The second game started much as the first, with Link and Revali clearly trying to outperform the other. Medli played relatively unhindered as the two boys would reverse the play order to force the other to draw more tiles or skip their turn entirely.

"Don't you dare read it!" Everyone flinched violently at Mipha's outburst. Revali had been shouting during the game, much to Link and Medli's amusement; however, no one had been expecting the Zora Princess to raise her voice.

"Everything okay?" Link asked as Mipha stared down at the note, her eyes speaking of the pure horror she felt inside.

"Sidon found my-my… he found my diary," Mipha replied shakily. "I just hope he had enough sense to not read it."

Revali frowned as his eyes flicked back and forth between the two. Link suddenly looked very pale and uncomfortable while Mipha was fidgeting in her seat.

"I win!" Medli cried as she placed her last tile down. "And I agree, it would be the worst if he read it."

"I don't know. Sometimes he has the sense of a –"

"You should play a round," Link said quickly, cutting the Zora Champion off.

"I suppose I will," Mipha mumbled in embarrassment as she sat across from Medli.

Revali didn't care how many times they had to play or how many players there were, he was going to crush them all.

The Rito Champion convinced Medli to switch places with him so that he was sitting next to Link again. He then dealt everyone their tiles. He eyed his tiles giddily as he saw that he could skip Link's turn, assuming the color remained the same.

"It has to be the same color, right?" Mipha asked as she held her tiles in front of her uncomfortably.

"Or the same symbol," Medli added.

"Okay then," she said as she set her first tile down. Revali stared dumbfounded as the order was switched.

He watched as Link's lip twitched before he set his tile down.

"Link! I swear to Hylia I'll –"

"Draw four tiles?"

* * *

"I hate him!" Revali spat.

"Oh, calm down," Medli giggled as the Rito Champion sat, sulking in his hammock.

"I don't know how he did it, but he rigged it."

"No, he… what's this?" Medli questioned.

Revali looked over his shoulder to find Medli crouching in front of Slippy's house.

"I made it for that toad of yours," he sighed, trying his best to sound disinterested in her opinion.

He was very interested.

"That's adorable!" she chirped as she peered inside and found the toad sitting under the room. "You even gave him a bowl of water!"

"I was bored." Why was fighting off a smile so hard?

Unfortunately for the Rito Champion, fighting off a grin became next to impossible as Medli began talking to Slippy. He still didn't care for the toad, but he supposed it had done one good thing for him.

"Is something wrong?"

"No!" he replied hastily as he turned away. Why did he have to stare?

"I'm sorry," Medli said suddenly.

"What?" he asked, utterly lost. He was the one that should have said sorry.

"That you were bored, and that you have to stay in a messy house. I really should get this place cleaned up," she sighed as she scraped her talons across the floor.

"It's not your fault." If anything, it was his. If he hadn't gone off and injured himself in such a spectacular manner, he wouldn't have been grounded.

"Well, look on the bright side. Mipha says you should be able to fly tomorrow, that's… I wasn't supposed to tell you that," she finished as she hung her head.

It wasn't a surprise. Pulling the Great Eagle Bow earlier had only caused him mild discomfort, and he and Mipha had another healing session before she and Link left. His wing felt good as new, but he had refrained from going for a test flight. He was not at all eager to upset the Zora Champion again, even if that meant he had to stay on the ground a bit longer.

"I hope so." Even if it had only been a few short days, he missed flying terribly. It was like not being able to see his best friend.

"You love it, don't you?" Medli asked as she looked out at the sky above them.

"I do. I like the feeling of freedom it brings. The escape."

"I wish I felt like that sometimes," Medli sighed wistfully.

"Huh?"

"Well, I'm not very good at flying."

He had forgotten about her struggles when it came to soaring through the air. He could sympathize with her now that he had memories of his own struggles.

"I could teach you sometime." He had spoken before thinking, and now the once proud Rito Champion was wondering what would happen if he flung himself off the cliff her house sat on.

"You could teach me…? That almost sounds like –"

He was worried that she was about to say that it sounded like something condescending.

"- Like a date!" she finished excitedly.

"A what?!"

"A date! It's a part of the courting process used by most races, except the Gorons of course. It makes sense really, seeing as they don't have any women. I wonder if that means we should have dinner as well?" Medli continued, speaking to no one in particular as she rambled about what prerequisites had to be meant for an event to be considered a date.

He wasn't sure what was more embarrassing: the fact that his words had just been taken so far out of context, or the fact that Medli was so excited. A part of him wanted to smile as he watched her prattle on enthusiastically.

He wondered if her exuberance was in part due to the isolation she had been experiencing. While Kass and his family had been around, there was still likely some loneliness there. She probably watched as the others tied the knot as she remained alone. He remembered wondering at one point if there was someone out there for him at one point, though he had never entertained the thought for very long.

If anyone asked, he would have denied it, but there was a time when anything even close to resembling a date would have excited him as well.

He was at least grateful that the company wouldn't be terrible.

"- Oh! We'll both have to get new clothes though. I don't have anything nice."

The mighty Rito Champion wondered if there was a hole anywhere nearby that he could crawl into and die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't even know how a fistfight changed to Uno. Sometimes, I wish my characters wouldn't interfere as much as they do.


	31. Divine Beast Vah Medoh

Mipha did her best to quell the rush of anxiety that rolled over her. Link had informed her the previous night that he, Revali, and Teba would be going to reclaim the Divine Beast as soon as Revali was ready to do so. To her shame, she had not responded well; however, Link, patient and calm as ever, had helped to ease her nerves. As little as she had liked it at the time, she was at least grateful that he had given her warning ahead of time.

She wasn't sure she would have been able to handle the shock otherwise.

"Do you have the potions?"

"Yes," Link replied patiently. It wasn't the first time she had asked and it likely wouldn't be the last. "I'll be fine."

"Y-yes, I'm sure you will. Just please don't do anything terribly reckless."

"I won't. Besides, Revali will be there too."

For some reason, the knowledge that the Rito Champion would be there wasn't comforting to her in the slightest. She took a deep breath and released it slowly as she continued her struggle to maintain control of herself. She knew if she broke down, it wouldn't change anything, and it would take hours for her to regain control.

"Hey," Link said with a smile as he set his hand on her shoulder, "there's something I think you should know."

"I am it," Mipha replied weakly. She was in no mood to mess around at the moment.

"You're not a consolation prize… and yeah, you're it."

Mipha stared at him uncomprehendingly as he nodded to her one last time before joining Teba and Revali on the landing platform. The only thing she could be sure of was that there was something more he had been trying to tell her in then she understood in those words. The Zora Princess was certain that he wasn't trying to make her feel better after Revali's comment. He had already asked her opinion on the matter, and while she admitted that the Rito's statement had stung, it wasn't something that weighed on her.

She would have to figure it out later.

Her breathing became more ragged as Link climbed onto Teba's back and the trio took to the skies. She began clasping her hands together, nearly cutting herself with her claws as her grip tightened.

"Mipha!"

She barely registered the sound of her name but turned to find Medli and Kass rushing towards her.

"My apologies, Lady Mipha," Kass greeted as they reached her, "we meant to be here to see them off as well."

"It's my fault," Medli sighed. "I overslept… again."

"There is nothing that can be done about it now."

Even through her anxiety-filled haze, Mipha noticed that Kass' eyes were asking her for something. Thankfully, what she saw in the Bard's eyes gave her something else to focus on, helping to calm her down a little.

"I had been hoping to see them off. Well, since you're both here, I was hoping that I could… ask a favor of you both," Medli said as she fidgeted slightly.

"May I presume this has something to do with your date with Master Revali," Kass asked.

"Your what?" Mipha asked, flabbergasted by the question.

"Well, yes. I don't really have any nice clothes and I was hoping you two could help me to pick something out."

"If you were to take care of your clothes, they would last longer and look much nicer."

"I know, but I just can't seem to… "

"Lady Mipha, would you mind accompanying us?" Kass asked, not quite curtly, but something close to.

"I am not very, uh, knowledgeable when it comes to clothing," Mipha replied, "but, I will help in any way I can."

"Thank you!" Medli cried.

Mipha was beginning to feel uncomfortable as Kass' eyes were speaking to her again. She hadn't even thought that the Bard was capable of acting the way he was.

The Zora Champion could feel the Bard's gaze on her as they made their way to the tailor's shop. Having eyes on her was nothing new. As a member of the Zora royal family and the heir to her father's throne, she was accustomed to having eyes on her at all times, whether they were the critical eyes of Muzu or the defensive gaze of Seggin. Despite all of that, she found she was particularly unsettled under Kass' scrutiny. The only conclusion she could draw was that she was used to the Bard having a calming and reassuring presence as opposed to a cool, detached countenance.

She could only speculate as to what had sparked the change, all of which pointed to the Rito Champion.

"May I make a suggestion?" Mipha started, deciding to use a more diplomatic approach to send Medli away. She had no doubts that Kass would remain tight-beaked until his younger sister was no longer present.

"Please do," Medli answered quickly.

"I think it would be best if you were to go pick out something that you thought was nice, and then Kass and I will help to decide whether or not the outfit is suitably flattering."

Mipha wasn't really sure what would be considered flattering among the Ritos. In fact, she wasn't really sure what was considered flattering among any of the races. She could only really say what she thought looked nice on Link, and what looked nice on the Hylian Champion wouldn't fit the Rito girl.

"Oh! That sounds like a plan," Medli said before promptly leaving her two companions behind.

Mipha stared after the Rito girl, still shocked to hear that Revali had started courting her so soon. She had known him for years and he barely acknowledged her, let alone opened up to her in any fashion.

"I must apologize, Lady Mipha," Kass murmured as his gaze finally left her to follow his sister. "I know that I have not been entirely pleasant this morning. I just happen to be… concerned and I was hoping to ask you if you know anything about this date, but I suppose your surprise answers that question."

"If it helps to set you at ease, Revali is not as… delicate as he could be in some situations; however, I don't think he means her any harm."

"It's his lack of delicateness that worries me most," Kass sighed. "I'm afraid that Medli may have misunderstood and when Master Revali makes that clear he will not do so gently. I know that I should not speak of him so, but considering recent events, I hope you understand…"

"I do," Mipha replied as Medli continued poking through the various outfits. She could understand Kass' fears well. Were she in his position, she would be seriously considering confronting Revali as soon as he returned to the Village.

There was nothing she or Link could say as the Rito Champion would blow them off at best. In fact, their interference would likely make it worse for the Rito girl. "I wish Urbosa was here."

"Lady Urbosa?"

"Often, it seems like she and Revali are one step away from strangling each other but sometimes she can actually reach him."

"Perhaps she and Lord Daruk will be arriving soon."

"I hope so."

The rest of their shopping spree was filled with Kass doing his best to steer Medli towards particular styles and colors as Mipha gave quiet encouragement. It took longer than she would have liked, but eventually, the Rito girl chose a deep red shirt that helped to accentuate her beautiful highlights.

The siblings asked if she wanted to accompany them further; however, she excused herself as politely as she could.

When the Zora Champion reached the inn, she pulled out the letter she had received from her father the night prior. Certain details concerning her diary had blotted the rest of the letter's contents much to her dismay.

She scanned through the letter again. Most of it was typical pleasantries to let her know that he, Sidon, Muzu, and several of her friends were doing well, and to inform her of the Domain's current state.

While there wasn't much to recover from in terms of damage, the citizens were still shaken that their guardian Beast had nearly washed them away. Even so, their morale had been bolstered by the knowledge that their Princess was alive and well.

It gladdened her to know that her people were no longer in danger.

Her face still burned when she read that Sidon had found her diary, though her father made no mention as to whether or not her brother had read it. It seemed that his main interest in telling her of it was to help regain some of her memories. It likely wouldn't help her remember anything as she remembered most of her entries well.

Hylia in heaven above she hoped her brother didn't read any of her later entries.

Her father had ended the letter by informing her that Kodah had made an attempt to see her when she had been in the Domain, and though she had missed her the first time, she still sought Mipha's audience. The Zora Princess wasn't sure what to make of the information. She and Kodah had never truly been friends, but not long after Link had come to the Domain, she began receiving the silent treatment from Kodah.

To make an already confusing matter much more so, her father speculated that it had something to do with Link. Mipha couldn't be sure it was true, but she hoped fervently that it was not. She knew that Kodah had possessed feelings for the Hylian at one point, which was sure to make any discussion about Link uncomfortable at best.

With Link's departure finally far from her mind, Mipha pulled a piece of parchment towards herself and began to craft her response.

* * *

 

The Rito Champion stared down at his Divine Beast with trepidation. The last time he had been here, he had been knocked out of the sky. Even with Link and Teba there, he still wasn't sure whether or not they would be able to handle it.

More specifically, his concern was about Link's ability to handle himself.

It wasn't the Hylian's skill that concerned him. Teba had assured him that Link was a quick and adaptable shot. No, what concerned him was Link's lack of maneuverability. He wouldn't be able to outfly anything that came after him, which left him and Teba to distract the sentries.

"Remember to call us if you need help!" Teba called to the Hylian on his back. Revali looked over at his two companions to find Link eyeing him.

"How about a competition!?" Link shouted to him. "Whoever takes out the most of them wins!"

Revali's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Beast below him and looked back at Link. Before he could form any more of a response, Medoh activated its shield below him.

"Get Ready!" he heard Teba shout as he dove down, ready to intercept whatever machines came his way.

As the first machine charged him, Revali lay his wings flat against his body as angled himself to the right. He rolled as he pulled his bow out and drew back, releasing a bomb arrow. He was rewarded with the sound of an explosion, but that was just the beginning.

' _One,'_ he counted as another Sentry flew at him. The Rito Champion dove down below the machine, then pulled up sharply, forming a sharp arc around the machine. He pulled his feet over his head, firing another bomb arrow and hitting it dead on before it could even fire off a shot.

' _Two.'_

Revali looked over his shoulder to find Link hovering over one of the Sentinels that held up Medoh's shield. His eyes widened as the Hylian Champion drew and fired his bow in the blink of an eye. He had watched Link shoot a bow before, and he didn't remember the Hylian being anywhere near that speed.

The explosive arrow flew down and struck home. Medoh's shield flickered for a split-second before coming back up.

Teba, to his relief, wasn't struggling to handle his share of the Sentries. He dove, spiraled, and flipped, dodging any and every attack that came his way while returning fire at the same time. Teba had come a long way since Revali had last watched him fight. He couldn't help but feel a little pride swell up in him as he watched his protégé wreak havoc on the machines.

The Rito Champion returned his gaze forward as another Sentry charged towards him. It fired at him, forcing Revali to tip his right wing down, just barely dodging the projectile as it rocketed past him. He lit it up as he had the previous two.

' _Three.'_

He checked on Link's progress again. The Hylian Champion was making his way to the third Sentinel holding up the shield. The Sentinel took notice of Link and fired off a quick shot; however, Link simply collapsed his paraglider and fired another bomb arrow as the projectile that had been aimed at him passed by harmlessly.

With no other machines currently attacking him, Revali sped up, racing towards the tip of the machine where the last Sentinel was waiting. He looked over his shoulder to find another Sentry making its way toward Link.

The Rito Champion let loose a bomb arrow, causing the shield to fail for a brief moment before coming back, then he pulled his feet and wings in, rolling back. He spread his wings back out, as he tipped his back towards the ground, catching a quick glance at the machine gunning for Link.

As he dove, Revali spun around, reorienting so that he could pull back up. The Rito drew one last bomb arrow, letting it soar towards the machine as it charged its beam weapon. It shattered as Revali's explosive arrow struck it, causing it to fall from the sky as Link let loose his own arrow.

Below them, Medoh's shield failed entirely, causing the Beast to scream out.

"I took care of the last one!" Revali shouted over the winds. "Let's get down there before Medoh has the chance to recover!"

Link nodded, angling his paraglider towards the landing platform.

The Rito Champion turned his gaze to Teba to find his friend struggling to maintain his altitude. "I'll have to leave the rest to you two!" Teba called.

Considering the singed feathers on his wing, and how he was visibly struggling to remain airborne, Revali was inclined to agree. "Be careful!"

"Make sure you don't get shot down this time!"

Revali glared at the white-feathered Rito. It was still too soon for jokes like that.

"I'll meet you back at the Village!" Teba called before angling back towards the Rito Village.

The Rito Champion returned his gaze down to the landing platform at Medoh's rear. He dove down, landing smoothly even as he passed Link.

"Three," the Hylian Champion said as his feet touched down on the platform.

"Five," he replied indifferently. Though his competitive nature had taken over slightly before they had begun their assault, he hadn't believed he would feel any sense of accomplishment. Link had been out of his element in nearly every way possible during the battle, meaning that it would have been nearly impossible for Revali to not be leaps and bounds ahead of him. "It wasn't really a fair competition," he finished as the Hylian gave him an odd look.

Link shrugged before removing the Slate from his waist and setting it on the terminal.

" _Revali…"_ The Rito Champion tilted his head, listening intently as Zelda continued softly. _"Revali, you must proceed cautiously from here. Windblight, the Phantom that controls Medoh, was created specifically to kill you. In order to free Medoh, you and Link must work together, otherwise, Medoh cannot be reclaimed. Please be careful, Revali."_

The duo turned to face each other. "I heard her too," Revali replied to the unasked question in Link's eyes. He folded his wings and closed his eyes, thinking carefully. So far, his track record when it came to being a team player was… poor. If what Zelda said was true, then he'd have to do better.

Revali gazed around Medoh's interior as he stepped into his Divine Beast. Though he had spent weeks, if not months, learning everything about the giant machine, it still appeared alien as he looked at the oily black masses that infected it.

"Malice," Link stated as he looked around with interest.

"I figured," Revali replied as he turned to the Hylian. "What? Never seen the inside of one of these things before?"

"I was inside Ruta and Rudania before, but this is my first time in Medoh… I think."

"Oh…" For some reason, Link's reply was extraordinarily awkward for the Rito to hear, and he couldn't put his finger on the cause.

"Mipha used to take me inside and show me how Ruta worked and I helped Daruk to figure out how to control Rudania."

Revali turned away, hiding the frown that he felt growing on his face. He had always known that the others had strong ties amongst themselves, but he hadn't really realized just how strong they were. As far as he could remember, he had never invited anyone, even Kaneli or Teba, into Medoh.

He felt a renewed surge of loneliness as he watched Link look around in wonder.

"So… what were the other Divine Beasts like?" Revali asked as they entered the central chamber.

"Well, they both had… floors," Link finished as he frowned at the large gap that separated both halves of the room. In order for Link to get across, he'd have to find a way to use the large blocks that were suspended along rails to access the other side.

Of course, there was another, faster method.

"Climb up," Revali grumbled as he crouched down. He had to bite back a snarky retort as the Hylian climbed onto his back. He had been doing his best all day to not only remain level-headed but to keep his tongue in check.

It was a lot harder than he had anticipated it being.

A part of him was complaining about how giving Link a ride made him no better than a horse; however, the more rational part of him argued that making Link work his way through on his own would force him to slow down. He was determined to reclaim the Beast quickly for personal reasons.

Besides, it couldn't hurt to be a bit more of a team player.

He flew the two of them to the other end of the room quickly, where they were able to proceed to the guidance stone.

Revali watched as Link set the Slate in the guidance stone.

"You okay?" Link asked, not even looking at him.

"Fine. Why?"

"You're acting odd." Link pulled the Slate out of the guidance stone and finally met his gaze.

"I said I'm –" Revali took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He tried again, this time in a much more controlled fashion. "I said I'm alright."

"Okay." Link said nothing more as he held up the map for them both to see.

"Let me take care of this one," Revali said as he pointed towards a marker on the tip of Medoh's wing.

Link nodded and handed over the Slate with no protest. With the piece of Sheikah technology in his hands, Revali took off, taking his moment alone to think.

He had numerous things he wanted to say to the other Champions, but every time he tried to find the words, they eluded him. Regardless, he knew he needed to say something. As much as he wished that everything he had said in the past could be forgotten, he knew it was a naïve wish. The one thing he had learned was that brushing problems under a figurative rug just made them into bigger problems later on.

He continued mulling over the problem as he set the Slate on the terminal, activating it. He supposed that given enough time, he could find the right words, but he couldn't be sure.

Why did saying sorry have to be so difficult?

He flew back, still lost in thought as he landed back next to Link. He crouched again, allowing the Hylian to climb back up before taking off and flying them to Medoh's left wing. He set Link down and together they made their way through the appendage silently.

He felt the need to say something, really anything that might convey what he needed to say, but as always, words failed him.

It wasn't just that Link was the one he had been the worst to, but he felt that if he could get it out to Link, then he could do the same for everyone else. He had always found Link to be the most intimidating of the other Champions, even Urbosa. Something about that casual silence he had kept up in the past had made him a giant in the Rito's mind.

He watched as Link solved a small puzzle in order to open a gate to their second terminal. If only there was a way to –

"I'm sorry," he blurted out suddenly, catching Link and himself by surprise.

"What?"

"I'm sorry," Revali repeated with a sigh. "I, uh… there were a lot of…" He took a deep breath as he did his best to steel himself. If he was going to say it, he would do so in a way that left him with at least a shred of dignity. "There were a lot of times where I said… a lot of uncalled for things. You were… are," he corrected, "a Champion and I haven't treated you with the respect you deserve. So, I'm sorry," he finished quietly as he folded his wings and looked away.

He hated apologizing. It was humiliating because, to do it properly, a person had to lower themselves and ask for forgiveness. He hated it, being forced to rely entirely on the mercy of another. It was a force entirely outside of his control, and he disliked the things he couldn't control.

There was a long moment of silence before Link replied. "I'm sorry too."

"What?" Revali asked as his eyes flicked back to Link. The Hylian's stare was making him feel uncomfortable.

"I didn't deal with your… attitude the best," Link sighed. "There were a lot of times I could have done things better."

They stood there awkwardly for a long moment, with neither really sure what to say. "Should we go kill Windblight?" Link asked after a moment.

"Yes!" Revali replied quickly, relief welling up in him as he was reminded of the task at hand.

They continued on, just as silent as they had been before their short conversation; however, it was a much less awkward silence. Even so, it was still charged with energy. Each step they took, each terminal they activated, brought them closer to Windblight. While he and Link had finally exchanged some sincere words, he couldn't help but wonder if they would be able to work together.

Without saying a word, both stopped just before the doorway that led onto Medoh's back, where they would find the control panel.

"Ready?" Link asked as they both stared straight ahead.

"Did you forget who you're talking to?" Revali asked snidely.

"Nope."

"Still want a contest?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

"Whoever takes out Windblight is the winner."

They exchanged a look before giving each other a determined nod. They both stepped out onto Medoh's back, trying not to be bowled over by the roaring winds.

"So, what usually happens?!" Revali shouted as they struggled to make their way to the control terminal.

"Malice, blue lights, and everything goes wrong!" Link shouted back.

That was _exactly_ what the Rito Champion had been hoping to hear.

He stuck close to Link as the Hylian set the Slate on the terminal. As Link had predicted, there was an explosion of Malice, followed by threads of blue light that flew behind them and wove themselves into a monster. Blackened, purple skin, spider webbed veins that were blood red, mechanical parts interspersed throughout. It was almost exactly like what Mipha and Daruk had described, except for the giant, canon-like weapon attached to its arm.

"Move!" Link shouted as Windblight raised its weapon and fired off a shot. Revali felt the force of a small explosion from somewhere beside him. Without waiting for an invitation, he soared into the air.

Without wings, Link's only hope for being any help would be using a bow. That was of course unless something drove the creature down towards the floor.

The Rito Champion drew the Great Eagle Bow and readied a bomb arrow. He launched it, only for the Blight to dodge as it kept its weapon trained on him.

Revali had to roll and dive as his opponent fired off a quick series of shots, each resonating with an explosion. He grimaced as he realized that simply dodging wouldn't be enough. He'd have to leave ample room between him and the explosions.

Revali circled back around, readying another arrow. He let loose, flying after his arrow as he drew yet another. If Windblight had dodged the first, then it logically followed that it could and would dodge the second as well.

Revali smirked as Windblight dodged his first arrow. The Blight, only suspecting one arrow, wasn't ready for the second that followed, striking home even as it came to rest from its dodge. The force of the blast knocked the Phantom down towards Medoh's back.

"Link! Now's your chance!" Revali called out, hoping that Link would be able to seriously injure the Phantom before it could put up a serious fight.

Revali grimaced as something was wrong. Even though the Hylian Champion didn't respond, he didn't dare turn his gaze from Windblight. The Phantom righted itself, but before Revali could open fire again, it pointed with its gnarled hand.

The Rito Champions stomach dropped as he heard the sound of explosions. He followed the Blights finger, where he finally saw why Link had failed to respond when he had called. The Hylian Champion was being bombarded on all sides by four tiny machines.

While Link was a passable archer, he was nowhere near skilled enough to hit the minuscule, agile machines, not that it mattered. Even if Link were skilled enough to pull it off, he wouldn't have time to fire one arrow before he was attacked. All the Hylian could do was do his best to roll and block the shots as he was pushed closer and closer to the edge of Vah Medoh.

Revali looked back towards Windblight to find it staring at him intensely. It didn't need words to convey its message.

The Rito Champion was on his own.

Revali pushed himself higher as the Blight aimed at him. He then dove down, flying in a tight arc around the Phantom as they exchanged shots, neither one able to quite hit the mark. Revali would roll, firing as he felt the heat of the Blights projectile on his back as he would send an arrow hurtling back.

The Blight screamed in frustration, allowing Revali a brief moment to check on Link. The Hylian Champion was getting dangerously close to the edge. He'd have to break away from Windblight quickly if he were going to be able to help.

As though sensing his intentions, the Blight swung it's arm upward, as though scooping an invisible substance up. Revali's eyes widened as the air currents began to shift all around him drawing him in. He grunted as a wind tunnel began to form, grabbing him even as it was still developing. He felt himself lose control entirely as he was sucked into it.

His stomach churned as the world spun violently around him. His wings, legs, neck screamed as the winds pulled them all in different directions. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't gain any bit of control. All of his years spent mastering the sky, and now the winds he was supposed to be the master of were throwing him around like a doll.

He managed to catch the briefest glimpse of Windblight, who watched him with apparent interest. Before Revali's head was snapped away, he saw his enemy raise its canon, ready to fire. Thinking on the fly, Revali managed to remove and light a bomb arrow, flinging it as far away from him as he could. He hoped the force and heat of the explosion would disrupt the wind tunnel before Windblight fired its beam.

He felt the heat from the explosion of his arrow as the vortex became unstable. He felt himself being flung outwards as another explosion sounded nearby. He crashed painfully onto Medoh's back, feeling burns, bruises, and the beginnings of whiplash.

He struggled to fill his lungs as a large shadow fell over him. Even with the Phantom above him, he looked around trying to find Link. To his relief, the Hylian had somehow managed to push back against the four machines. While he was still on the defensive, he was also on much firmer ground now, though one blast could still be enough to knock him off.

His eyes shifted to Windblight, who hung above him, staring down at him. It raised its canon and aimed at him as the Rito glared defiantly back. It frustrated him that he had come so far, only to die before he could fulfill his duty as a Champion. He had spent years honing his abilities, only for it to be utterly useless as he stared death in the face. Even so, he reached for his bow and one last arrow.

For some reason, he thought back to the Blood Moon. There, he had been willing to accept death, just as he was now; however, he hadn't fought back then. He nocked the arrow as he remembered what he had seen in the memories the Master Sword had contained. Link had been too battered and broken to put up much of a fight, yet he had stood back up, ready to fight until there was no life left in him.

It had made him so angry because he had seen the true difference between him and the Hylian. He had seen which one of them truly was the better man. When faced with death, he had been willing to go quietly while Link was still giving his all. When faced with such a reality, he had been forced to take a hard look at himself. While he still couldn't say he deserved to be a Champion, he could at least follow the example of a true Champion.

If he wasn't worthy of being a Champion, then he would become someone who was worthy, even if it was in the last seconds of his life.

As he raised his unsteady arrow, Windblight lowered its gun and reached towards him, grabbing the Great Eagle Bow and snapping it. Time slowed as the Blight floated out of his reach and aimed its weapon at Link.

"Link! Look out!" he shouted as loud as he could.

Though his voice was weaker than normal, the Hylian still heard him.

Link ducked behind his shield as the Blight's weapon flashed. Revali could just make out the Hylian pushing back against the beam, sending it straight back at Windblight.

The Blight screamed as the explosion tore through it, flinging it across Medoh's back. Revali smirked as he quickly got back to his feet.

He took to the air again, determined to help Link, but he was too late. Knocking back the Blight's attack had come at the cost of leaving himself open to an attack.

Revali felt his heart stop as Link tumbled off of Medoh's side and fell to the ground below.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make it worse, I'm moving next week, so I don't know when the next chapter will be up.


	32. The Champions' Ballad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you get to the namesake of this chapter, you should go to YouTube and search up and Mr. Accordion's Champions' Ballad. Hopefully, it should fit.

The Blight was still recovering from its own attack, leaving the Rito Champion with an opening to retreat to Medoh's edge. Even if the machines that were waiting there had been expecting his charge, they would have been unable to hit him as he pulled his wings in, making himself as small as possible.

Revali dove over Medoh's edge, his eyes scanning for any sign of the Hylian. While Link had been blasted off the ledge, the Rito Champion was certain that he was still alive. Link had a paraglider; however, that wouldn't help him if he were unconscious or falling uncontrollably.

He caught sight of the Hylian, who was falling with his arms and legs spread out.

He pressed his wings further against his body, picking up speed as his form became more streamlined.

Link shot him a glance as he caught up to the Hylian. "I've got an idea!"

Before Revali could inquire any further, Link reached into his pouch and pulled out a massive, stone sword. He flung it as hard as he could. As the sword plunged below them, Link pulled out the Slate and pointed it at the Cobble Crusher.

The Rito Champion, suspecting that the Hylian was going to freeze the massive weapon in place, dove again so that the Hylian was above him. He felt Link land on his back as Revali landed clumsily onto the sword.

"We're cutting it close," he growled as he readied his gale. Not only would he have to create an updraft in record time, but he would have to do so with a passenger. It was too many firsts for his comfort. "Hold on!" he called as he flapped, launching high into the sky as the Cobble Crusher resumed its fall towards the ground.

He felt the familiar winds of his gale whip around him as they pushed him up. Revali was surprised at how few adjustments he had to make to accommodate Link's weight. He would have thought that adding the Hylian's weight would have made it harder to ride the updrafts upwards; however, their ascent was as smooth as the chaotic winds would allow.

"I'll distract the Blight!" Link shouted as they raced up towards Medoh. "You take its sentries!"

"I'll need another bow!"

Though the Blight had a single, mechanical eye, Revali was still under the impression that it widened as he and Link reappeared at the top of Medoh. It screeched as it raised its cannon while its diminutive, mechanical allies raced towards them.

"Get ready to go!" he called as he swooped down, staying just above the floor of Medoh's back.

"Here!" Link shoved something into his hands just before he leaped off Revali's back.

Revali looked at the bow in his hands, frowning as he noticed the sleek black and purple design. The Royal Guard's bow was supposed to be more fragile. His frown morphed into a grin as he decided that it only meant he'd have to make his shots count. He could do that. The only problem was that he only had one bomb arrow left.

Revali flew back between Link and the machines that had been barraging him earlier, drawing them away from the Hylian.

The Rito Champion thought quickly as he swerved, dove, and rolled out of the way.

He glanced quickly over to find Link holding the Blight at bay with the Master Sword and Hylian shield. Windblight screamed in frustration as it lowered its cannon and fell back down towards Link, trying to grasp the Hylian. Link sidestepped and delivered a swift cut along the Blight's arm, forcing it to withdraw quickly.

Watching the fight brought back the memory of his brief bout with the Blight. It was in that reflection that he began to form a plan to deal with his four pursuers. It would risk getting blasted away, but if he timed it properly, he could destroy all four with the same arrow.

Revali landed on Medoh's back and crouched down, waiting with bated breath as the four machines charged towards him. He fought back the natural instinct to dodge as he watched them charge up their shots, attempting to blow him away entirely.

Unfortunately for them, they waited too long. Revali flapped, calling forth a gale that sent him shooting above. Flipping over, he drew his final bomb arrow and aimed it down below, where all of his opponents had been pulled into his wind tunnel. He let loose his explosive arrow, watching with satisfaction as the arrow was propelled faster than he had expected. The explosion that followed destroyed the four mechanical beings.

With Windblight's machines out of the way, Revali turned back to Link and the Blight. The two were still engaged in the same dance that he had last seen them in. The Blight was visibly agitated as it tried to use its free hand to swipe at the Hylian, but Link retaliated with a swipe of his sword.

Finally having enough of its battle with Link, Windblight retreated just out of reach and raised its hand, much as it had before summoning a tornado for the first time.

Revali reached into his quiver, pulling out a shock arrow this time. He nocked it and sent it hurtling into the Blight, following it up immediately with another. Windblight began spasming violently as the shock arrows sent electricity coursing through its body.

"You go high and I go low?" Link asked as Revali landed next to him.

"No. That's what I'd normally do," Revali replied as he fired one more shock arrow to buy them some time.

"Can you get me high?"

"What is it with you and stupid questions?"

Windblight finally recovered, screaming at both of them as it raised its cannon.

"I'll buy you a second," Link said as he stepped in front of the Rito holding his shield up. Despite what had happened earlier, it tried firing off a quick shot, dashing forward as Link's shield was knocked to the side.

"Now!" Revali shouted as he created another vortex of air. He was launched skyward as Link backflipped out of the Blight's grasp and pulled out his paraglider, following close behind Revali.

The Rito Champion dove down sharply as he left his wind funnel, arcing around the lower half of the Blight as he drew two more shock arrows. He fired in quick succession as Windblight attempted to snatch him from the air. It shrieked in pain as it received another dose of electricity.

Above it, Link collapsed his paraglider and pulled out the Master Sword. Windblight must have sensed the descending Hylian, as its attention shifted back, creating an opening for Revali to pepper it with more shock arrows.

Link fell towards the convulsing creature, ramming the Blade deep into its chest. He cut a large gash into its chest as gravity continued to pull him back down towards Medoh.

The Hylian Champion collided with the ground, rolling away from the Blight as it too fell. The Rito remained airborne, keenly watching as Link cautiously approached the prone the Phantom.

Windblight pushed itself up, glaring at the Hylian with its single eye. The orb in its head flickered in and out even as it crawled towards him. Link approached slowly and raised the Master Sword, but before he could drive it home, Revali dove down and flipped around, kicking the blade straight down into the Blight's eye.

Windblight lurched back, screaming as it clutched uselessly at its ruined eye. Revali watched, becoming mildly ill as the Phantom contorted in fashions that no being should be able to achieve. Within a matter of seconds, it exploded, leaving the two Champions alone on Medoh's back.

"…Well, I suppose that means that I am the victor, naturally," Revali gloated as he folded his wings with a smirk.

"No," Link replied with a firm shake of his head. "My arm, my sword, my win."

"Oh, don't start. We both know that you weren't the one that applied the force."

"That's not how that works."

"Be a gracious loser, will you? You're giving us Champions a bad name."

Link rolled his eyes as he turned away, taking the Slate in hand as he walked away.

"Fine," Revali conceded as he followed the Hylian towards the control terminal. "When we finally meet back up with them, we'll have Daruk and Urbosa be the judges."

"No," Link replied firmly as he continued onwards. "Mipha will find out I fell off."

"And?"

"I'll tell Teba that you broke his bow."

"You wouldn't!"

The duo glared at each other for a long moment before giving each other an uneasy nod.

"We'll say you dealt the finishing blow," Link muttered as he turned back to the terminal and activated it.

The Rito Champion felt a shudder travel through Medoh as the highlights that had once been a dark red returned to the soft blue that he remembered.

The Divine Beast greeted him with a grudging respect, as though he were a rival; however, the reunion was short-lived. Medoh issued him a challenge, a challenge to see who could wreak more havoc on the Calamity before a golden light surrounded him, blotting everything from view.

* * *

"Whoa, whoa!" Daruk rumbled as a Rito child was nearly bowled over by a frantic adult. He set one hand on the Rito's chest, holding him back as he scooped up the yellow-feathered child. "Ya alright?" he asked as he let go of the adult.

The wide-eyed child nodded quickly, visibly frightened by the Goron.

"Don't worry!" he chuckled. "I won't hurt ya! Now, let's go find yer –"

"Kotts! Lord Daruk!" a familiar voice called.

Daruk turned to find Kass rushing towards them. "Kass! How've you –"

"Are you all right?" Kass asked quickly as he quickly lifted the child out of the Goron Champion's hand. He let out a deep breath as the child nodded. "Thank you," the Bard murmured as he turned back to Daruk. "To answer your question, I have been well. If I may ask, how long have you been here?"

The Goron Champion wasn't bothered by the shortness of Kass' response. He figured that maybe the sight of the Divine Beast heading straight towards the Village would stress out most people.

"We just got here," Urbosa replied as she came around the other side of Daruk holding another child.

"Tulin?! Where are your parents?" Kass quickly took the other child in his other arm.

"I don't know," the child shrugged, not concerned in the slightest by the commotion going on around them.

"Now is not the time to be wandering away from your mother and father," Kass scolded lightly with a small frown on his face.

"Medoh doesn't scare me. Dad will take care of it, just like he did a few days ago."

"That may be, but you can't –"

"Tulin!" a female voice shouted.

"Over here, Saki!" Kass called as his eyes scanned the rushing crowds.

"Tulin! Where have you been!?" A female Rito appeared out of nowhere, snatching the little boy out of Kass' arm and rushing off with him.

"We saw Mipha at the inn. Where are the other two?" Urbosa asked curtly as she stared at the descending Beast.

"Masters Revali and Link went up to engage Medoh earlier. I have not seen them since."

"Thanks," Daruk muttered as he cracked his knuckles. "We'll take it from here."

"Oh, yes we will," Urbosa growled as she started pushing her way through the crowd. Daruk followed close behind, not sure what the Gerudo Champion had in mind until he saw Link and Revali standing side by side, watching as the Divine Beast landed on the spire that the Village had been built around. Daruk braced himself as the ground shook beneath, signaling the Beasts landing.

All four present Champions watched with fascination as Medoh raised its wings and faced Hyrule Castle. It remained there, immobile as the Village watched on.

Slowly, everyone began mulling around again, albeit quickly and with several nervous glances towards the massive machine that hung above them.

Daruk's gaze was drawn back to Link and Revali. Despite the fact that Urbosa was standing directly behind them, the two younger Champions had yet to notice her. That was until she gripped both of their shoulders and leaned down so that her head was between them. He had no idea what she said but, judging by the way they both tensed up, it was nothing good.

"Back to the inn?" Urbosa asked with mock sweetness as she turned herself and the other two around, not loosening her grip on them at all.

"I think so," Daruk sighed.

The Goron Champion followed behind the other three, shaking his head as Urbosa marched them forward. While he was not pleased with either of them, he was nowhere near as upset as the Gerudo Champion.

They returned to the inn, where Mipha was sitting, fidgeting with a package nervously as Urbosa ordered the Rito and Hylian to sit down. The Zora Champion quickly relocated next to Link, beginning her healing process despite a disapproving look from the Gerudo Champion.

"Where do you want to start?" Urbosa asked as her fingers found her temple.

"Listen, Little Guy," Daruk started, deciding to get his part over with quickly. He had a feeling that no matter how much he said, Urbosa would have her own harsh words for both. "I know ya had good intentions, but ya have ta make sure we're all on the same page. Just runnin' off like that and not tellin' us anything wasn't a good plan. We didn't even know if ya were still alive."

"Then there's the whole business with Mipha!" Urbosa snapped, taking over entirely. "She obviously was not fit to be chasing after Revali like that."

"Urbosa, I was –"

"Don't you start!" The Gerudo Champion replied as she rounded on her. "We talked to the Stable masters. Did you know that they almost snuck you out of the Stable because they were worried that he had given you something mind altering?"

"He offered to leave me at the Stable, but I refused to let him go on alone," Mipha replied weakly.

"Then you both should have stayed!" Urbosa took a deep breath before continuing, somewhat calmer than before, "we understand that it was a bad situation and you were doing what you thought was right, but next time, take five seconds to think."

Link nodded. Daruk was grateful that the Hylian had the grace to look ashamed this time. Ordinarily, he had a habit of keeping his face neutral when being lectured. The Goron was sure that an expressionless response would have only upset the Gerudo even more.

"And then, there's you!" she continued her flashing eyes focused on Revali. "First and foremost, the next time you have the _brilliant_ idea to run off and nearly get yourself killed, I will personally tie you to Daruk's back, and if that doesn't work, I'll knock you out of the sky myself. It'll save us the trouble of tracking down your broken self."

Daruk frowned. He was upset too, but she was starting to toe a line and it wouldn't do anyone any good for her to stray over that line.

"I won't actually knock you out, but I will consider it," Urbosa growled as she corrected herself. "And then, there are those _lovely_ comments you made right before you went and nearly died. Which –"

"I know," Revali muttered quietly, catching everyone in the room by surprise. The Rito took a deep breath before turning to Mipha. "I'm sorry about what I said before. It was… rather low… and you deserved better." The Rito Champion turned back awkwardly and hung his head, not looking at anyone as he waited for Urbosa to continue.

Urbosa took several deep breaths as she massaged her temples furiously. "You had best hope that apology was sincere."

The Rito nodded, still looking down at the floor.

"Well then, I suppose we'll leave it at that," she sighed as she crossed her arms. She was silent for a long moment as her fingers tapped against the inside of her arm. "How long do we have?" she finally asked as she turned to Mipha.

"For?" Mipha asked nervously.

"For the thing that we discussed earlier."

"Oh… Oh! Yes, that. She said she was hoping not long after they returned from Medoh."

"Right," Urbosa muttered. "You," she said as she pointed to Revali, "get up and put this on," she finished as she took the package that Mipha had been holding and handed it to him.

"What is –"

"Questions later."

Daruk grinned as the Gerudo Champion chased the Rito out of the room while commanding him none too gently to put on the contents of the parcel. He always found it amusing when she tried to help their younger allies, only for them to misunderstand.

"He's grown," she murmured as she sidled up to him while they waited for Revali to return.

"He has," the Goron agreed as he stroked his beard. "I thought I was gonna have ta knock their heads together again, but it looks like they're sortin' themselves out."

"Too bad they couldn't have done that a few days ago."

He chuckled as she rubbed at her eyes.

"Ya know, ya might miss all this when we're older."

"I'll miss watching them make mistakes that could very well get them killed?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Uh… not exactly what I meant."

"I know, but you made it too easy."

"Glad ta see you're back," Daruk replied dryly.

"I almost believe that."

They frowned at each other for a moment before they began chuckling. Though the woman knew how to get on his nerves, he found that he enjoyed her company more often than not. It was also a relief to have another adult around. While the younger three were by no means children, they were still maturing and often their emotional needs were beyond him. Urbosa, on the other hand, not only understood those needs but also helped him maintain a sense of order.

"Well… uh…"

"You're lookin' good!" Daruk grinned as Revali rejoined them.

"Hmm," Urbosa hummed in discontent as she set herself in front of the Rito Champion and began straightening his new tunic. "It's too big."

"We can fix that," Mipha replied as she pulled a needle from her nightstand. "I mean, if you still remember how to…" she trailed off as she sent Link an uncertain glance.

The Hylian eyed the small object curiously before taking it in his hand. "Do you have any extra thread?"

He nodded his thanks as the Zora handed him a small spool of thread. "Go put that back on inside out," Link said as he pulled threat out and looped it through the eye of the needle. Revali did as he was told, much more quickly this time. Link knelt down and held the edge of the knife against the seam.

"Whoa, what are you doin' Little Guy?" Even if the tunic was a little large, that didn't mean that they needed to cut it up.

"If I split the seam, I can tighten it."

"Why is that so important?" Daruk asked as he watched the Hylian carefully take the point of the knife and deftly cut through the seams, splitting a section of the tunic open.

"There are a couple of things that make clothes flattering," Urbosa explained absently as she grabbed the newly loosened fabric and held it against the Rito's chest, leaving no extra space between the fabric and Revali's feathers. "Color is one."

Color was something that Daruk could understand. The dark blue tones of the tunic fit Revali well, but oddly enough, so did the emerald green accents. They matched his eyes even as the blues matched his feathers.

"The other," Urbosa continued as she held the sides in place, allowing Link to create a new seam, "is fit. If we had left this baggy, it would have made him look… flabby."

"Be nice," the Goron grunted as Revali grimaced at the comment.

"I am being nice," she replied as Link continued down the side. "By tightening it, he can show off his form. As I understand it, you have what's considered the ideal form for a Rito," Urbosa continued as she gave Revali a pointed look.

The Rito Champion began fidgeting almost exactly like Mipha.

"I wonder if that would be biological," Mipha murmured to no one in particular.

"Biological?" Daruk asked with a frown. Most of this was going far over his head.

"A sleeker form would help to make him more aerodynamic, meaning he would be a much better hunter."

Sometimes, he wished that they would use regular words rather than the large ones that they favored.

"She means he can move through the air better because of his shape and size," Link stated, as though sensing the Goron's question.

"I suppose that would make the Rito more like us Zora than I imagined," Mipha continued thoughtfully, evidently unaware of Daruk's confusion.

"I see." He didn't really, but he wasn't about to make that clearer than it already was. All he wanted to do right then was find a quiet place and sit down with a nice rock roast. Despite his desire to wander off in search of food, he remained where he was as Link finished his task.

Revali was sent away again to put the tunic on the right way.

"Much better," Urbosa said as Revali returned. She straightened his tunic again as well as straightened and fluffed the feathers on his face. "You look very nice," she finished as she stepped back, giving him one last once-over.

"Thanks," Revali replied as he rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath.

"Thank me by showing Medli a proper gentleman, yes?"

"Right…"

"Now then, why don't you escort me out while you wait?" Urbosa suggested, not giving Revali a chance to agree as she wrapped her arm around his. To Daruk's amusement, she had to remind the Rito to actually lead her outside as opposed to taking the lead herself.

A large rumble from his stomach reminded him of his need for a hearty meal. "Well, I'm gonna go find some grub. Both of ya behave yerselves for Urbosa, okay?"

Link and Mipha gave him an odd look before exchanging a glance between themselves. Daruk shrugged, shaking his head with a chuckle as he ambled out the inn. Sometimes, he was sure that he was the only sane one in the entire group.

* * *

Revali could not remember a time where he was more self-conscious than he was as he walked through the Village with Medli's wing wrapped around his own.

"I'm really sorry about that," Medli mumbled as she stared down at the ground in front of their feet.

"Don't worry about it," he replied quickly. "Everyone makes mistakes when they're learning something new."

"Did you get stuck in a tree after you spent an hour learning how to fly properly?" she asked glumly.

"Well…"

"I don't know if I'll ever really get the hang of flying."

He disagreed with the sentiment. She had indeed crashed into a tree and gotten herself tangled in the branches; however, the rest of their session had gone much better than he had expected. A part of him had been dreading the lesson considering the displays of clumsiness he had seen thus far but he had been pleasantly surprised. She was both a quick learner and receptive to his criticism. She had improved more than he would have thought possible, all things considered.

"I crashed into a cliff one time," Revali muttered as he covered his face with his free wing.

"You what?" Medli asked curiously, forgetting her own misadventure for the moment.

"When I was uh… trying to develop my updraft- "

"Revali's Gale?"

"Revali's Gale," he nodded, wondering why in Din's name he had chosen to name it that. It sounded utterly ridiculous when he said it now. "While I was developing it, it was… unstable. Anyway, one time the winds threw me out."

"But that's not the same as crashing into something."

"… I was spun around, and was so dizzy that I couldn't fly straight," he elaborated, trying to hide as much as of his face behind his wing as possible. He still struggled to believe that had actually happened. He had easily been the best flier around and he had still managed to crash into one of the largest objects possible.

"Hmm? I don't remember reading about that occasion," Medli said in wonder as she stopped for a moment.

"That was after I moved out of the Village." He was surprised that she had known the name of his ability, but he supposed it also made sense. Despite his attempts to avoid interacting with the Villagers, there were times where it could not be helped. During such occasions, he did his best to remain aloof.

Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. Rather than driving the Villagers away, it only seemed to draw them in.

"Yes, most of it was written in the Diary of Master Revali, the Rito Legend."

Revali stopped, staring at nothing as he found himself in a blind panic.

"It was quite the –"

"Don't believe a word of it!" he snapped suddenly, putting much more force into his voice than he meant to.

"What?"

"I'm not the author," he said, feigning confidence that he didn't feel.

"Oh…" Medli said as she tilted her head in thought. "That's a misleading title."

"I know," he sighed, hoping the unnecessary drama in his voice would mask his lie. The fact that he had kept a diary was enough to make his face burn but the fact that anyone had read it, especially Medli, was absolutely mortifying.

He wondered if he looked like Mipha after she had spent five minutes with Urbosa.

They continued on in an awkward silence. While there were plenty of things that they could talk about, the Rito Champion was unsure that any of it was worth talking about.

"Oh! Hi, Link! Hi Mipha!" Medli called suddenly, startling him out of his reverie. He frowned as they approached each other. While there was nothing inherently wrong with seeing them, he had still been hoping to avoid the other Champions, Teba, and even Kaneli during his and Medli's time. He supposed that it was inevitable that they would run into someone considering how small the Village was, especially when just about all of the inhabitants were capable of flight.

"You look very pretty," Mipha murmured to Medli quietly, pulling the Rito girl's attention away from Revali for a minute.

"Don't buy food from The Flighty Bard," Link muttered as he discreetly handed over a basket. "It's bad."

Revali's frown deepened at the Hylian's words. "The Flighty Bard" was a local tavern that had been there since he was a child. Back before the Great Calamity, the Rito Champion would treat Teba to a meal when his student had a particularly exceptional day. He had fond memories of the place and had secretly wanted to form new ones there.

At the same time, Link, despite his willingness to eat just about anything, had a refined pallet that he wasn't about to argue against. If the food didn't have his seal of approval, then it was probably best to avoid it, at least for the time being. As much as he would play it off as utterly meaningless to him, he did want his first date to be memorable for the right reasons and so far, all he had that would be memorable was the fact that Medli had gotten tangled up in a tree.

"Well, I hope that the rest of your night goes well," Mipha murmured with a gracious smile. Without waiting for any awkward salutes, the duo disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared, leaving Revali and Medli alone again.

"She's nice," Medli decided. "I wonder why she advised that we don't go to The Flighty Bard."

"The bad is food," he replied, nearly slapping himself as he mixed his words up again. He was really beginning to despise his nerves.

"Did Link give that to you?"

"He did." He was relieved that she had apparently missed his most recent mistake with words.

"What is it?"

"I don't know," he replied. He suspected it was the Hylian's cooking; however, he hadn't checked it yet. "Would you maybe want to… follow me for a bit?" he finished sighing at his lack of eloquence.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere important."

He led her to the nearest landing pad, where they took to the skies. He slowed down his flight as he led the already exhausted girl out to the Flight Range.

He looked around, taking everything in as he stepped inside the small entrance he had once called home. He felt drained as he looked around, finding everything almost exactly as he had left it. A few things had been moved around, but the majority of the decorations were the same. His hammock was where he had left it and above it, musky after so many years of neglect, hung the bow that Kaneli had given him.

He took the old, brittle piece in his hands, taking in every minute detail as he turned it over.

"Oh!" Medli said in an excited whisper as she watched him. "Is that the old bow mentioned in your… in the diary?"

"Kaneli gave this to me," he murmured quietly as he continued staring down at it. Seeing it and holding it reminded him of his youth. Even though those times were painful, he missed the simplicity of the old days. When he could escape from everyone and focus on one task so exclusively that he could forget everything for a time.

"May I… May I see it?" she asked uncertainly.

The Rito Champion handed it over, hoping that his internal concerns didn't show. He knew that Medli was captivated by historical texts and artifacts, but he was also more than aware of her clumsy nature. He was concerned that she would accidentally take hold of the item with too much force, trip, or find some other way in which to break the weapon.

Medli took hold of the bow gently but firmly, holding it still with the tips of her feathered fingers. She bent her head over it, angling so that she could analyze the bow with a single eye.

"Hmm," she hummed as turned it carefully, determined to see it from every possible angle.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm."

Deciding that he was not going to get an answer anytime soon, he contented himself with waiting as best he could. He found it odd that she had changed in an instant, changing from a clumsy mess into a calm, collected individual. Then again, he supposed it wasn't all that different from some of his companions Link went from cool and detached to borderline berserk if food was mishandled.

"This must have been beautiful in its prime," Medli sighed wistfully as she carefully handed it back to him. "Its plain, but sometimes I think the simplest things are the loveliest in their own ways."

"Like you…" Revali seriously debated slamming his head into the wall as his beak closed. He didn't know how or why his words refused to obey him, but after everything that had slipped out of him lately, he was ready to crawl under a rock.

"Th-thank you," Medli stammered as she stiffened up.

"…"

"…"

"Should we eat?!" the Rito Champion nearly squawked as he hurriedly hung the bow back up.

"A-absolutely!"

Revali's only source of relief was the fact that the basket had indeed been filled with food as well as a blanket. He tried to set it out smoothly; however, his embarrassment made him far too shaky and as a result, his movements were sloppy. He narrowly avoided spilling several items as he set the blanket out and placed the food on it.

They sat on opposite sides, determinedly not looking at the other as they admired various aspects of Revali's old stomping grounds. They sat like that for a few seconds before Revali finally grabbed a rice ball and took a small bite of it.

Thankfully, his date took that as her invitation to begin eating as well. After that, it didn't take her long to forget about his slip. "Wow, I can see why Mipha told me not to go to the Tavern!" she exclaimed after swallowing a mouthful.

Of the many things that he had been grateful for that night, the fact that Medli was not a messy eater was at the top of the list. He found it unlikely that he would not have rushed the meal if she had gotten as much food on herself as in her beak.

"I suppose that he is rather gifted when it comes to cooking," Revali grumbled, growing slightly jealous that Link's expertise had impressed her. He did his best to stamp it out as he took another bite of a rice ball. Really, it was his own fault that the Hylian was better at cooking than he was. If had taken the time, he could have progressed from passable to excellent just as he had with a bow.

"Are you okay?"

"It was just a thought," he answered, pushing aside his childish antics. He really needed to grow out of that. His date was content with that answer, refraining from prying any further as they continued eating.

The rest of the meal passed as Medli slowly started chattering as she had in the days prior. He could barely keep up as she spoke quickly, jumping from one topic to another for reasons that only she would be able to understand. Despite his inability to entirely keep up, he still enjoyed watching and listening, finding amusement in the way she tried to chew and swallow quickly so that she could continue speaking.

They finished with a large number of leftovers, which he packed away neatly while Medli explored the interior of the Flight Range.

"You haven't been here before?" the Rito Champion asked as he closed the basket and picked it up.

"No," Medli replied absently. "This place was considered sacred after you disappeared. It was kind of an unspoken rule that Teba was the only one allowed here."

"I see…"

They left the Flight Range behind and in the silence that accompanied them on their flight back to the Village, Revali thought about what she had told them. Medli seemed to know of his discontent as she remained silent even as they landed. She still took his wing as they made their way slowly back to her home.

"Is something wrong?" she finally asked as they stood outside her home.

"I guess I… didn't think there would be anyone left who remembered me," he finally sighed. Despite all of his accomplishments, he had figured that he would remain in the shadows of the other Champions, yet his old home was now considered sacred. So sacred, that no one set foot there except for Teba. He wasn't sure if that was the kind of legacy he had been meaning to leave behind.

"Oh, lots of people remember you. I'm actually quite surprised that the others haven't been flocking you since you've been out and about."

"I may have suggested that you only look like Master Revali," a voice said quietly. Kaneli approached them from behind, giving them an apologetic smile. "I know that you two are just now returning, but I was hoping that you would permit me to steal him for a while."

"Oh yes!" Medli replied quickly. She turned to Revali and gave him a large hug. "I had a good time! Thank you!" she chirped quietly. She let him go and rushed inside, sending him one last glance before he turned towards Kaneli.

"You just had to interrupt?"

"I know that you were having a good time, but this has waited long enough," Kaneli sighed. "This is something I should have told you years ago, but I was worried that you would go and do something stupid."

"What is it?"

"It's about your parents…"

* * *

"I'll go find him," Urbosa said as everyone waited uncomfortably. Kass had tried to gather them all at the top of the Village; however, Revali was nowhere to be found. Considering that Kass was just as lost as to the Rito Champion's whereabouts as the rest of them, she figured that he was no longer with Medli.

"Thank you," Kass said with a nod to her.

She returned it before stepping out into the cool night air.

The Gerudo Champion scanned the Village as she walked towards its lower levels. When he desired solitude, Revali chose to remain nearby, but in a spot only he could reach. Considering that she had not seen him flying towards the giant rock on top of the Village, she assumed he was somewhere in the lower levels. It was pure guesswork, but it was what she had to rely on at the moment.

She found him halfway down, sitting on the edge of a landing pad. He looked so small and unremarkable that she may have missed him if she hadn't been looking for him. "So, Feathers, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he responded mechanically.

"You're an awful liar."

"What? Are you wanting my whole life's story?"

"Just the parts that matter for now."

Revali remained silent, convincing her that he wasn't going to speak. She sighed as she stood back up, opening her mouth to inform him that Kass had been asking after him. "… Suppose that someone… did something awful to you, but you still loved them anyway."

"Okay," she replied as she settled back next to him, waiting for him to continue.

"What would you do if they had come back for you, but someone had sent them away?"

"Did your parents abandon you?" she asked quietly. While she had devoted much thought to why he behaved the way he had, she hadn't been able to reach any solid conclusions. That was the closest to an actual answer she had ever gotten.

"… in a forest when I was young," he muttered.

"And?"

"What do you mean 'and?'"

"You just asked what I would do if they came back for me, but someone sent them away." She didn't really need him to answer the question, as she anyone with basic reasoning skills could figure out what he was trying to say.

"… I guess during our inauguration as Champions, my parents came back here to find me. Kaneli, the Rito who took care of me when I was a child, sent them away, and only just told me…"

"So, what about it is ruffling your feathers?" she asked with a playful smile.

"Not funny," he growled as he shot her a glare.

"Sorry. What about it is plucking your feathers."

"I hate you."

"Noted, but you still haven't answered the question."

"Does it really matter?"

"Does Daruk eat rocks?" she asked with a raised brow. She was willing to admit that she could ease up on the teasing, but still. Sometimes, the Rito Champion made it a bit too easy to get under his skin.

"Dinsake!" he growled before taking a deep breath. "All of it! Why didn't he tell me that he was sending them away?! Why didn't he tell me they had come here in the first place?!" he ended there with a huff, but the Gerudo Champion was under the impression that he was far from finished.

"Do you think you were ready to handle something like that?" she asked quietly, dropping her normally playful façade.

"… No," he sighed dramatically as he threw his wings up. "I can't really say I blame him either. If I had been in his position."

"So, that's not what's bothering you," she clarified. She was pretty sure she had a good idea of what had him in such a poor mood, but she wanted him to say it out loud. It was more for his sake than anything else.

"No… Why did they come back?" he asked quietly enough that she had to strain in order to hear. "I could have gone on thinking that there was no hope of ever seeing them again, but…"

"Would you like a bit of wisdom that took me some years to accrue?"

"From an old hag like you?"

"Choose your next words carefully," she said, her eyes flashing as he eyed her. She continued on, as though he hadn't said anything. "Some people are quite simply the worst."

"That's it?"

"What? Were you expecting some eloquent speech about how you deserved better and that you shouldn't let this ruin your night, especially considering how good a time Medli had? I thought I'd save us both the time and cut to the important part."

"How considerate," Revali grumbled.

"Only the most considerate," she agreed, ignoring his poorly veiled jab. "Now then, Kass mentioned that he had something he wanted to share with us. Are you coming willingly or would you rather I dragged you there myself."

"I would like to see you try," Revali scoffed as he stood up and smirked down at her.

She smiled up at him sweetly for a moment before she got to her feet, reminding the Rito Champion which of them was actually taller. She could feel her smile widen into a grin as Revali's smirk faded slightly as she set a hand on his shoulder. "You were saying?"

"I suppose I'll go with you," he sniffed, bringing his overconfident exterior back up in the blink of an eye. "I would hate to see a little old lady like you embarrass yourself."

"My, what an unruly child. Perhaps I should ask Daruk to help calm you down."

"Weren't you just boasting about how you could handle me yourself?"

"Oh, but a little old lady like me couldn't possibly handle a strong young man such as yourself," she sighed as she draped her arm across his shoulders. With little effort, she managed to turn him back towards the stairs that led higher into the Village and began dragging him along. "I suppose that means that I'll just have to rely on a big, strong Goron to handle you."

"Maybe the odds aren –"

"I suppose I'll just have to have him sit on you," she continued over him.

"For Heaven's sake," he muttered as he shook her arm off. "It was just a joke."

"Oh, I know," she replied sweetly, "but if you ever call me an "old hag" again, I will have him sit on you."

"Nice to see your –"

"And we'll have Medli watch." She laughed heartily as the Rito froze with the strangest cross of indignation and horror splattered across his face. "Now, I don't believe we should keep Kass waiting for too much longer."

She laughed again as the Rito Champion sped up while trying to look unphased by her words. They returned to find Kass and the others waiting for them patiently.

"Thank you all for coming," Kass said graciously as they gathered around him. "As you know, I spent a great deal of time studying under a royal poet. After the Great Calamity, he composed a song that he hoped would inspire you when you awoke. Will you listen to my teacher's song?"

"We would love to," Mipha replied kindly as everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Thank you."

With nothing more to be said, Kass took up his accordion and began playing. After a few seconds, his playing was accompanied by words sung in a deep baritone voice.

" _A Calamity long asleep,_  
wakes to disturb our peace,  
there is no need to fear for there are heroes to answer the call.  
Four pilots of beasts divine,  
a Knight with sacred blade,  
a Princess born with sealing power rise to heed the call.

 _Though the heroes fought valiantly,_  
for to save us was their cause,  
they fell to evil's power that day, ends met in the fields where they lay.  
The Princess remained,  
strong and courageous was she,  
she vowed to hold him back, a lone Champion's final stand.

 _With a healing touch,_  
A desire to serve all in need,  
Vah Ruta's friend takes up her spear and rises once again.  
Unrivaled aerial might,  
arrows fired faster than a gale,  
Vah Medoh's champion soars again to take back our skies.

 _A voice like thunder,_  
a heart stronger than any stone,  
Rudania's chosen holds the line as the battle rages on.  
A mother's ire awakened,  
with wit sharper than any blade  
Naboris' Champion makes known her wrath til evil burns away.

 _Courage unmatched,_  
the Princess' own appointed Knight,  
a Sacred blade's own chosen hero heads the charge for his Princess dear.  
Champions, hear her plea,  
in the castle, she waits for thee,  
to free her from its grasp and return our sweet light."

As Kass finished singing, his notes slowed until they faded completely, leaving only silence as the Champions exchanged looks among themselves. Urbosa watched as Link and Mipha gave each other reassuring nods, Daruk grinned at her, even Revali seemed to be sharing in the camaraderie as he folded his wings and smirked at Link and her.

"Thank you all for listening to my teacher's song," Kass said as their attention returned to him. The Gerudo Champion frowned as she heard a faint note of sadness in his tone. "Now, I wish to ask you one last favor before I wish you a good night."

"Oh, very well," Revali grunted. "I suppose we could hear you out."

"This may seem a silly request as each of you has more than proven your determination, but will you promise me that you will help the Princess to seal the Calamity away once again?"

Kass smiled in relief as each of them nodded when his eyes fell on them. In spite of his words, Urbosa found the request far from nonsensical. While each of them had indeed shown that they were more than willing to see the fight through no matter the cost, it was good to have the occasional reminder that they still had their obligations.

She smiled, satisfied as she saw a renewed resolve in each of her companions.

"Again, I thank you," Kass murmured as he gave them a small bow. "Now, if you will excuse me –"

"Hold on a minute," Daruk said as he stepped towards the Bard. "I was thinkin' we should all have a celebration tonight, and I think you should be there."

"Well, my wife –"

"Is more than welcome to accompany you," Urbosa interjected, "as well as Medli. I have been eager to meet this sister that I've heard so much about." She stifled a chuckle as she saw Revali flinch violently.

There was so much fun left to be had before they left.

"I will not make any promises," Kass replied diplomatically, "however, I shall at least try to get them both to come."

She caught a small smile on the Bard's face as he turned away and left, hopefully, to return shortly.

"Link, what are you doing?"

She turned back and raised a brow as Link and Mipha stared at each other.

"Cooking."

"This late at night?"

"I haven't eaten in hours," he replied as he started a small fire on a stone slab in the center of the room.

"If you had just stomached the food at The Flighty Bard or not insisted on making so much for Revali and Medli, we would not be having this problem."

"Wait…" Revali said as he narrowed his eyes. Urbosa sighed as the Rito started getting worked up about something that had happened earlier that day. Evidently, he had been too caught up in the moment to realize that his "unintentional" meeting with Link and Mipha was anything but.

The Hylian and Zora ignored him as they continued on.

"Daruk said we're having a party anyway," Link finished as though that were the end of the argument.

"Food is not a necessity for parties," Mipha sighed as she watched him stick the cooking pot over the fire.

"Sorry, little sister, but I have to agree with the Little Guy on this one."

"Who asked you to interfere with my date?!"

"You should know by now that eating this late gives you stomach aches in the morning."

"I'll be fine."

"Why were you interfering?!"

Urbosa rolled her eyes as the pointless bickering continued. Some things were just never going to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need sleep.


	33. Growing Pains

"What is that… thing?" Zelda asked as Ganon's malice finally withdrew. Whatever being Ganon had been hiding them from for a century had again come close to finding them, despite Zelda's lack of resistance.

" _If I knew the answer to that, I would_ _not have_ _told you I don't know."_

"Do you suppose it could be Hylia?" It had been a question that had been bothering her for some time. Clearly, whatever was trying to find them was not stupid. In fact, she thought Ganon was being overly optimistic in thinking that he was successfully hiding them.

" _Don't be ridiculous."_ Ganon must have sensed her skepticism as he continued without any prompting from her. _"Tell me: how did you feel when you compared yourself to it?"_

"I felt like a child staring up at a stranger."

" _I have either underestimated your power, or you are too confident,"_ Ganon replied with a sigh. _"Regardless, the fact that you felt a sense of self when compared to it should tell you that it cannot be Hylia."_

"How so?"

" _You feel as a helpless child compared to this thing. Compared to Hylia, you would not even consider yourself dust. That thing could crush us with little more effort than it takes to raise a finger. Hylia could annihilate the entirety of Hyrule and everything else with a mere thought."_

"Everything else?"

"…"

"What?"

" _Do you remember those stories that, what was his name_ _?"_ Ganon asked, cutting himself off, _"Kass? Do you remember Kass' stories?"_

"Yes?"

" _What if I were to tell you that there is a chance that those stories are more than just stories?"_

"But…" She couldn't say the idea hadn't crossed her mind. Ever since she had borne witness to the library that Link and Mipha had discovered, she had been considering the possibility that there were other worlds besides the one that they inhabited. Even with all of the thought she had devoted to it, her natural inclination was to deny it.

" _Don't ask questions as I do not have the answers. It was so long ago that even I barely remember."_

"I see," Zelda replied, her mind running through every possible scenario. As much as she wanted to figure out who the mysterious entity was, there was little to nothing to go on. It would have to wait. "So, only one of the Divine Beasts remain."

" _And?"_

"Does it worry you that your plan is falling apart?"

" _Is that what you believe? That my plan is falling apart?"_

"You had control of all four of them, and the dragons, and now you're losing them one by one. Is that your plan?"

" _You worked closely with the four pilots. How many of them could handle the strain of commanding two Divine Beasts?"_

"Maybe one of them," she responded, an uneasy pit growing in her stomach. While Mipha had struck her as delicate, she had startling power when it came to commanding Ruta and holding her own on the battlefield. The Princess was certain that the Zora Champion was the only one of the four that could handle more than one at a time.

" _Could he or she handle three? No? What about four? Do you see the problem?"_

"You need your own Champions…" With his own Champions to pilot the Divine Beasts, Ganon would be able to maintain control of them while being unhindered by the strain of commanding them.

" _And who better than those who spent years mastering them?"_

"Then why have you been trying to kill them?"

" _I'm not trying to kill them… yet. I want them to regain their full strength, then I will corrupt them and the Divine Beasts. Why do you think I've waited until now to attack the dragons?"_

"And how did you know that the dragons could bestow them with power?"

" _This would not be the first time they granted their power to someone who would be a hero."_

"So, my friends will be generals for your new world order?" she asked, making no attempt to hide her disgust.

" _No… I will have need of them for a bigger battle."_

"What battle?" She knew what he was going to say next, but she asked anyway. She wanted to know that she wasn't the only one who was worried about the presence that had been spending more and more time trying to find them.

" _You don't believe I can hide us from that thing forever, do you?"_

"No."

" _Correct. When I finally break free, our world will light up like a flame that it will be drawn to. Once that happens, it's a matter of time before it attacks. When I have killed you and your Knight, I will turn my gaze towards it."_

"Do you really believe you will win?"

" _I beat you once."_

"We will not fail again," Zelda replied. For the sake of Hyrule and her friends, she refused to allow Ganon the opportunity to succeed again. She had been too weak-willed to fight before, but this time she would fulfill her role and seal the Calamity away again.

She frowned as a thought crossed her mind. What if she didn't have to seal him away, at least not entirely.

" _Do you remember when I told you that you would know despair?"_

"I remember."

" _That time will come when you watch as your friends bend knee to me as your world burns. You may have earned my respect, but do not think for a moment that it will change anything."_

* * *

"So, you must be Medli," Urbosa said as she approached the white-feathered girl that accompanied Kass.

"Yes," the Bard answered, "and this is my wife, Amali," he finished as he gestured to towards the woman with green feathers.

"Urbosa," she replied as she nodded to both.

"Lady Urbosa… thank you," Amali stated as she gave the Gerudo Champion a bow. "You are a part of the reason that my husband has returned home."

"Oh yes. I assure you it was quite the chore. He just would not stop squawking, and there was some dragging –"

"Ah, I should introduce you to Lord Daruk!" Kass interrupted quickly as he started dragging his wife towards the Goron. Urbosa gave Amali a wink as she passed, grinning when it was returned.

"Your brother tells me that you play the harp." She wasn't any more interested in the harp than she was an accordion, but she was interested in learning more about the girl that had caught Revali's eye. To do that, she had to start a conversation, even if it was about something that she wasn't truly interested in.

"Oh yes! It started back when I was younger. I wanted to learn to play the accordion like Kass, but –" Urbosa was impressed at Medli's ability to not only answer a question but to keep said answer far from succinct. Eventually, she began passively listening, smiling and nodding occasionally. While she did want to learn as much as she could about Medli, she was far from interested in hearing every minute detail of the girl's life.

Every once in a while, she would listen more closely, trying to find a new topic to jump on as Medli continued chattering. "- I always did like the stories he told about the Champions, especially –"

"Revali," she finished for the Rito Girl. "So, how did you two meet?"

"Well, I watched him fight Medoh, and I flew over to help him when he crashed into the ground. It was weird though…"

"What was?" she asked before she took a swig of the drink in her hand.

"He introduced himself as Master Feathers… are you all right?"

Urbosa had spit out her drink and was reduced to a coughing fit. She had expected to hear at least one humorous story about Revali while in the Village, but she had not been expecting him to introduce himself by the pseudonym he hated.

Her only regret was it was difficult to laugh in the midst of coughing.

"I'm… fine," she wheezed as she finally got her breathing back under control. "He… called himself Feathers?"

"Yes. Actually, it was Link who told me that it was a nickname you gave him."

"I did, but feel free to call him that as much as you like."

"Oh no!" the Rito girl replied as she put held her wings up. "I think that's something that should stay between you two."

"Really?"

"That kind of thing is probably important to your guy's relationship. Kind of like how Kass makes harps for me."

She decided that she liked Medli. The Rito girl had respect for her and the other Champions and the bonds that they had with Revali. While that didn't mean that she was a good fit for Revali, it at least meant that she wouldn't try to isolate the Rito Champion or worse, turn him against them.

She wasn't entirely sure they would make a good pair. From what she had managed to gather while talking to Mipha, Medli was a bit of a disaster. A well-meaning disaster, but a disaster all the same. Revali, on the other hand, was highly organized and precise when he wasn't busy being a loose cannon. Perhaps they would be better suited after they both grew up.

That being said, from what little she could glean from Kass, Link, and Mipha, the Rito Champion had, and continued, to put his best foot forward when he was around her. She could only hope that he would continue to grow as time went on.

"If you don't mind, I was hoping I could ask you a question," Medli said.

"Yes?"

"Uhm… Sometimes I get the idea that Master Revali is… putting up a brave front. Is he -"

"Listen," she interrupted setting an arm on Medli's shoulder as she leaned in, "I could tell you some of what he's had to try and work through, but it's not my story to tell. When and if the time is right, he'll tell you himself, yes?"

"Right… I mean, even though he said he didn't write it himself, some of his words and actions match what was written in the diary."

"The what?" Urbosa asked, sending a silent prayer to Hylia that she hadn't just misheard or misunderstood the Rito girl.

"Oh, the Diary of Master Revali, the Rito Legend. It's an excellent read, even if Master Revali isn't the true author."

"Medli dear," Urbosa murmured, her face already starting to curl into a familiar smile, "would it bother you if I were to… borrow it for a while?"

"It wouldn't be a bother at all!" Medli replied excitedly.

Urbosa wondered briefly at the enthusiasm in Medli's response. Those she interacted with must not have expressed interest in the things she liked.

"I can go get it now if you'd –"

"Oh, don't worry about that right now," the Gerudo interjected cheerily. With a slight nod of her head, she motioned towards Revali, who had been eyeing them both in between spats with Link. " _Master_ Feathers has been eyeing you since you arrived. You should go say hi."

"I su –"

"But do me a favor dear, and don't mention our conversation to him, all right?"

Medli nodded uncertainly before she crossed to the other side of the room. Briefly, just before the Rito girl reached him, Revali met her gaze and narrowed his eyes as she winked at him. Then he noticed Medli, and all of a sudden, the Rito Champion became a ball of nerves. He hid it well, but she could see the anxiety that lay just below the surface.

She debated for a moment before finally deciding to leave him alone. He had enough emotional stress to deal with without embarrassing him in front of his crush.

"Lady Urbosa."

"Kass," she replied, returning the greeting as the Bard approached her with a skewer of fish.

"I am glad to see that you, Lord Daruk, and Midna made it here all in good health."

"Oh, you noticed her?" Urbosa asked curiously as she eyed the wolf who was eating a steak in the corner of the room.

"How could I not?"

"It's odd, but nearly everybody misses her. The first time that we took her in a Stable, Link had to bribe the Stablemaster to let her stay. Now, it's like only a few people notice her."

"Strange," Kass replied as he tilted his head. "She has been there the entire time… Maybe it is because she is aloof?"

"Maybe." It was an odd phenomenon that she had been unable to figure out. While the wolf had a habit of keeping to herself, unless Link was around, she was almost always within sight. Even so, people's eyes apparently just passed over as though she were non-existent. "Maybe people think she's a dog?"

The wolf looked at her, as though knowing that she was the topic of her discussion and wondering whether or not she should be insulted.

"I doubt it," Kass replied as he looked at the wolf, "she doesn't look domesticated."

"You're right."

"… I suppose that people are just not paying attention," Kass sighed, "I can sympathize with that."

"Is that a wolf?!"

Both Kass and Urbosa started laughing as Medli finally noticed Midna.

* * *

Revali picked through the wares in the shop, not really paying attention to what he was handling. While he knew that they needed to resupply, he couldn't help but think back to the conversation he and Kass had shared before retiring for the night.

The Bard had asked him directly what his intentions were in regard to Medli. Revali, choosing to forgo his typical barbed response, answered as honestly as he could. He had no idea what the future had in store for him and Medli. Between his responsibilities as a Champion, and coming to terms with his past, he hadn't devoted much thought to the future. As a result, he didn't know what he wanted out of life.

He enjoyed Medli's company and even thought there was potential for a deeper relationship, he couldn't be sure. As far as he could tell, there would definitely be some issues with compatibility. The constant mess that was her home had nearly driven him insane, they shared very few interests, and their personalities could not be more different.

Even subtracting Medli from the equation, the thought of settling down sounded nice, even if it was unobtainable. He had spent years avoiding contact with others as much as he could. He had learned to do everything on his own specifically so that he never had to rely on another. If he were ever truly to have a future with anyone, he would have to learn how to let people in.

The thought made his skin crawl. He huffed as he set a bundle of arrows down far harder than he meant to.

He wasn't sure when he had started devoting more time to thinking about these things, but he hated it.

"Revali, are you all right?" Mipha asked from behind him.

"Fine," he growled as he eyed a bundle of bomb arrows. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, a little voice reminded him that he had used the last of his bomb arrows during the fight with Windblight.

"Are you certain? You have been behaving –"

"I really don't want to talk about it, alright."

"Very well," the Zora Champion replied with a nod, "I am going to go find –"

"Wait," he sighed. The idea of talking about it with anyone made him squirm, but he also needed help. He could have asked Urbosa, but the woman had an annoying habit of teasing him about sensitive topics. "If you wanted to see whether or not you could… work as a team with someone else, what would you do?"

"What makes you think you would not make a good team?"

"We have a lot of… different interests…" there was more he could have said, but he wasn't keen on sharing more than the bare minimum. He didn't want to involve people in his personal affairs.

"Are you talking about Medli?"

"Never mind," he muttered as he turned away.

"May I ask how you know you two do not share common interests?"

"I said –"

"Have you considered giving things like history and culture studies a chance? Maybe music and storytelling?"

"What makes you think I haven't given them a chance?" he asked as he narrowed his eyes. Mipha was making a lot of dangerous assumptions about him. Then again, he supposed that was all she could do since they rarely spoke despite their close proximity.

"How much do you know about Link?" she asked suddenly.

"What does he have to do with this?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but it sometimes seems like you judge people and things on surface qualities."

"I do not!" he replied vehemently.

"Then why do you dislike Link?"

"Well, he… I mean… he's rude and… the whole thing with…" He finally huffed as looked away. The truth was, he wasn't really sure why he had disliked the Hylian Champion so much. At one time, he had thought he had known, but he forgot them. All he really knew was that he was supposed to dislike Link. "Fine. So, you're saying I should try giving her interests another chance?"

"It would be a good start," Mipha replied with a small nod.

"Right. Well… I need to restock my arrows, so…"

"I suppose I should go and… make sure that Link is not overdoing it again." Mipha turned away, giving him an odd glance before saying, "you know, you should talk to Urbosa."

"And why would I do –" he didn't have time to finish as Mipha was already leaving to go find Link. "Yeah, sure. Go talk to the miserable hag that'll –"

"There's the Revali I remember."

The Rito Champion spun around, coming face to face with Teba. "What are you doing here?"

"Saki, Tulin, and I have a family outing planned. I don't know when you and the others are planning on heading out, so I figured I'd give this to you now," he said as he handed Revali a bow. The Rito Champion held it up, relishing the feel of a Rito bow in his hands once again. While the other races produced decent bows, they could never measure up to a Rito's craftsmanship. "By the way, will you tell 'Impa' to stop asking for updates? When we're ready, she'll be the first to know."

"Thanks," Revali murmured, still admiring the bow. It wasn't until a few seconds later that Teba's words dawned on him. "Wait… how do you know Impa?" A part of him argued that he shouldn't be surprised that the leader of the Sheikah was known as far from Kakariko as they were. The other couldn't help but make him shudder. Even as far away as he was, he still couldn't escape her sight.

"She –"

"Teba! It's time to go!" Saki called.

"Right," Teba muttered. "Try not to die this time. See you soon." With that, his protégé was gone.

The Rito Champion took a deep breath before turning back to the task he had been trying to complete since he had walked into the building. He had just been trying to restock his arrows, not focus on problems he was not equipped to solve.

He shook his head and growled under his breath as he grabbed a load of bomb arrows and wandered over to store's other sections. If something as simple as buying arrows had taken him that long, he didn't want to think about how long it would take him to pick out the other item on his list.

* * *

Link watched, unseen as Revali practiced. He frowned as he eyed the blade that the Rito swung about, trying to decide whether it was the design of the blade or lack of technique that bothered him more. He understood that the Rito designed the Feathered edge to be lightweight so that it would not hinder their flying, but the blades looked utterly ridiculous. Then again, he supposed that the Zora designed equally ridiculous weapons.

After the Rito Champion had purchased his new weapon, he had done his best to sneak out of the Village unseen; however, Link had seen and followed. He didn't expect anything to come of it, but he was curious as to Revali's commitment to learning a new skill. Needless to say, it was going poorly.

Regardless, he couldn't really fault Revali's poor technique. From what he could see, the Rito Champion had next to no knowledge of how to properly wield the weapon he held.

The Hylian Champion watched on as Revali continued swinging. It wasn't flailing exactly, but it was far from graceful. Rather than putting effort into the quality of his attacks, he relied solely on speed and brute force. He found it ironic that the Champion who boasted the most skill was now relying solely on raw power.

The feathered hands were gripping the hilt with far too much force, and the constituent parts of his body weren't working in tandem. While the Rito had impeccable control of his upper body, the lower half looked to be unfamiliar with the movements he was trying to make. The Rito Champion lost his balance a few times between his sloppy swings and poor footwork.

Link was not at all surprised when the Rito exhausted himself less than an hour after he had started his practice.

Revali was visibly frustrated as he sheathed the sword with far more force than necessary. He growled something incomprehensible before turning on his heel, and finally noticing the Hylian that had been watching him.

"What – why – Did no one ever teach you that it's rude to spy?!" he spluttered quickly.

"Yep," he responded indifferently. He had caught Revali spying on him before, so he wasn't too concerned with the Rito's opinion.

"And you do it anyway?"

"Pretty much."

"So… how do I improve?" he asked as he folded his wings and looked away.

"Hmm?"

"What I mean," Revali growled as his normally irritable reaction resurfaced, "is how do I get from what I was doing to what you do?"

"Draw your weapon," Link replied.

"What?"

"Draw."

"I asked for a few pointers not –"

"Will a few pointers help me improve with a bow?"

"Of course not!" Revali answered emphatically. "It took me months just to learn how to draw properly. There's no…"

Link could see the gears turning in the Rito's head as he finally grasped what Link was getting at. With some training, Link was a passable shot, but it would take him months, maybe even years more before he was considered exceptional. And even then, it would still require even further training before he could even hope to match Teba or Revali.

The same was true for a blade. Anybody could pick up a sword and start flailing about, but it took years of intensive training before the flailing became strikes. After the time spent learning how to properly handle the tool and move their body to compensate, then it became a matter of applying those attacks in combat. Nothing about the art of "just swinging a sword" was simple.

"So draw?" the Rito sighed.

Link nodded.

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, the Rito drew his blade, not succeeding in extracting it smoothly.

Link told him to sheath his weapon before setting himself in front of the Rito. He slowly drew his blade, showing the Rito Champion how to properly remove the blade. They resheathed their blades and, after a few minor adjustments, drew them again.

Again and again, the Hylian and Rito performed the simple act of drawing their weapons. Soon enough, Revali was drawing his weapon smoothly enough that Link wasn't worried that he would accidentally remove his head from his body; however, they didn't stop there. Once Revali was capable of removing the blade, they moved on to drawing the weapon while setting themselves into a specific stance.

To Link's surprise, Revali took his criticisms well. There were a few comments, but overall, the Rito listened carefully and worked at implementing the required changes. He had thought that his fellow Champion would fight him tooth and nail, but instead, he made a remarkably good student and a fast learner. The Hylian was impressed, both with his companion's progress and his attitude.

When they finished for the night, they walked back towards the Village, silently. There were things to say, but Link wasn't really sure how to say them.

"… I never thought that using a sword could be that complicated," Revali stated as the Village came back into view. "… Thanks."

Link nodded, deciding against opening his mouth. He and Revali had been on better terms lately and he was far from eager to screw it up.

"By the way, your skill with a bow is appalling," Revali continued as he set his shoulders back and his voice returned to his usual confidence. "It really is quite embarrassing to travel with someone who looks like it's their first ti –"

"Are you offering to teach me?"

"Stop interrupting! Were you born in a barn?"

"Yep."

"Wait… did you actually grow up in a barn?" Revali asked skeptically as he shot Link a glance.

"Ordon was a farming community before it was razed." Link, for his part, was surprised at Revali's interest in his past, even if it was something as simple as where he was born.

"So where did you and your family move?" It came out in a disinterested fashion, but Link knew better. He wouldn't have asked unless he was genuinely curious.

"I made it to Zora's Domain. My mother… didn't make it."

"… Sorry to hear that."

"…"

"I suppose that led to you and Mipha becoming friends."

"Yeah. Well, that and-" he cut himself off before he mentioned the letter. He felt it was something that should remain between the two of them. That was, when he was finally ready to talk to her about it.

"And what?"

"It's nothing."

"Whatever. It's not like I care or anything," the Rito replied indifferently.

"How are things with Medli?"

"Would you mind your own business?"

Link raised a brow as Revali shot him a glare.

"Things are fine, not that it's any of your business."

"Have you offered her archery lessons yet?" he asked, fighting off a grin as Revali stiffened up.

"Look here," he spat as he fired up in an instant. Link continued trying to hide his grin as the Rito Champion began a long rant that had nothing to do with anything. While he tried to refrain from teasing others, sometimes, he just couldn't help himself.

"So, how do you and Master Link know each other?" Medli asked as she and Mipha set the table.

"We met when he was a child. For personal reasons, he was forced to live in the Domain for a few years."

"I see. Is he always so… cold?"

"Huh?" The question surprised her. She was so used to being around the normally quiet Hylian that it had never occurred to her that he came off as cold.

"Well, when I do talk to him, he barely speaks. He usually resorts to nods or shakes of his head. It seems like maybe he doesn't like me," she finished uncomfortably.

"He doesn't dislike you," Mipha clarified as they continued setting their utensils down. "If he did, he would avoid you as much as possible."

"I see…"

"When he was a child, he was excitable and loud, but after his training with the knights began, he started shutting down. There was a time when he barely spoke to me at all."

"Oh… I guess I thought he was looking down on me."

"Not at all," Mipha replied comfortingly. "Just give him time to warm up to you." The more she thought about it, the more she thought she understood where the Rito girl was coming from. Back when Link and Owen would visit the Domain together, there was a part of her that hoped that Owen liked her. Maybe it was because then he wouldn't try to drive a wedge between her and Link or maybe it was just another way to earn the Hylian Champion's approval. Whatever it was, she had felt very much the same as Medli at one point.

"How did you and Master Revali meet?"

"I do not know." The few memories she had that had occurred outside the Domain were hazy at best. She had no idea how she had met any of the other Champions aside from Link. "My memories still have some gaps."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I have a question for you, if I may."

"Oh, yes!"

"What was Kass like as a child?" It was a question that had been on her mind for a few days. While she had seen massive changes in herself and Link over the years, she couldn't quite imagine Kass being young and crazy like they had been.

"He was a good brother," Medli responded sadly, her feathers drooping for a moment. "I don't remember much before our parents died, but he dropped everything to come back and take care of me."

It didn't surprise her that Kass would do something like that, even in his younger years. He was loyal and devoted to his friends and family.

"Sometimes, I feel like I've held him back all these years. Even though he became a bard just like he wanted, I still can't help but wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been here."

"It is not your fault," Mipha said, stopping in her tracks to look at the Rito. "Kass did what he believed was right."

"But –"

"He did what he did because he loves you and you should not blame yourself for that."

"She's right," Urbosa called as she and Daruk entered, carrying several platters of food. "You can't hold yourself accountable for the choices of others."

"I know but –"

"No buts," the Gerudo interrupted firmly. "Let me ask you this: do you think Kass would have been happy if he hadn't come back? Would you two be as close as you are now?"

"No…"

"Then stop blaming yourself," Urbosa replied as she set the platters down. "Now then, Link wants to know what you would like to eat."

"Oh, I am fine with anything really," Medli answered.

"Just come up with something," Mipha whispered as she leaned in. "Food is important to him."

"Oh!" The Rito girl's face screwed up in concentration for a moment. "I did like those rice balls he made the other day."

Mipha exchanged a knowing glance with Urbosa, whose face was already starting to curl into an all too familiar smile. The Zora Champion wasn't sure how the Gerudo planned to exploit such a meaningless similarity between Revali and Medli and she didn't care to know either.

"Mipha, would you be a dear and go inform Link?"

The Zora Champion nodded, giving the older woman one last pleading glance before leaving. She enjoyed the chance to exchange thoughts and ideas on history and culture and she was not thrilled by the possibility of losing that.

Mipha found Revali, who was trying to pretend that he wasn't watching Link as the Hylian bent over his beloved cooking pot.

"Just so you know," she murmured as she approached the Rito, "I think Urbosa is about to –"

"You left Medli alone with Urbosa?!" Revali asked, horrified by the thought.

"Daruk is with them –"

"You left her alone with Urbosa!?" The Rito Champion rushed out, leaving both Mipha and Link to stare after him, puzzled by his reaction.

"What happened?" Link asked as he looked back to his pot of rice.

"Medli asked for rice balls, and Urbosa smiled the way she does when… well, you know how she gets."

Link nodded.

"I thought he might benefit from a warning that Urbosa was going to get under her feathers a little. I didn't mean for him to go barge in though."

Link closed his eyes, thinking for a moment as he continued stirring. "I think Revali was her intended target."

"What?"

"Why else would she have sent you back here?"

"Oh no," she sighed as she realized the Hylian may have had a point. The Gerudo Champion had deliberately smiled so that Mipha would see it and then given the Zora a prime opportunity to warn Revali, which would cause him to barge into the fray. Rather than helping the Rito Champion, she had led him right into Urbosa's trap.

"He'll survive."

"You know how she is."

"He's… resourceful."

"I suppose." She sat across from him, watching as he tended another part of the meal he was making. While she thought he was going overboard, she also had to acknowledge that cooking was his method of relaxing. Suddenly, a question that had been on her mind for a few days rose to the surface. "Have you thought any more about what you plan to do when this is all over?"

"Yep," he answered as he sieved the rice. He said nothing more as he began forming the rice into balls as Mipha debated whether or not she should inquire further.

"May I ask what you are planning?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"On what you plan to do after this is done."

"What I plan on doing?"

"I promised you we would spend some time together," Link answered as he picked up the plate of rice balls and motioned for her to follow him.

"You don't have to –"

"Yes, I do."

She planned to continue protesting, but Link gave her an expression that dissuaded her. It was the same look he would give her when he was determined to do something no matter how much grief she gave him for it.

They said nothing more as they returned to the others, finding two very embarrassed Ritos, a mildly annoyed Daruk, and a triumphant Urbosa.

The Zora Champion sent Revali an apologetic look as she sat down next to Link and Medli, who sat across from Revali. The two kept shooting each other uncomfortable glances, which caused Urbosa to snicker every time.

The dinner was more uncomfortable than the council meetings she had been forced to attend years prior. At least the elders and ambassadors had pretended they wanted to be there. Revali and Medli looked like they would rather be anywhere else.

"My, you two remind me of Mipha," the Gerudo Champion chuckled as the two Rito exchanged another glance.

Mipha felt her face growing hot as everyone looked at her, except Link, who was busy grabbing a little of everything except the rock roasts. She avoided looking at anyone as she did her best to cool her nerves. Eventually, her wandering eyes met Urbosa's, and she was suddenly annoyed by the Gerudo Champion's sly smile.

Finally, Mipha had enough of Urbosa's toying. She had made both Revali and Medli uncomfortable with her teasing and now neither would even touch the food that Link had made specifically for them, and she didn't want to see her friend's work wasted.

She reached over and grabbed a rice ball and delicately took a bite. She refrained from grimacing as the salted rice touched her tongue. She was not a fan, but she took another bite, staring at Urbosa defiantly as she did so. To her ire, Urbosa's smile only widened.

She was so enthralled in their contest wills that she didn't notice as Revali and Medli started sneaking the food they had been refusing to eat. When she did notice, she exchanged one last look to Urbosa who gave her a wink and subtly raised her drink.

Mipha sat in her seat, unsure what to think of what had just happened. She didn't know if she had won, or been an accomplice to a larger plan that she could not see.

"What was all of that about?" Mipha asked Link uncertainly as a conversation was somehow started.

"I have no idea."

* * *

"Was that really the best way to welcome Medli to the group?" Daruk asked as he scratched at his beard. "You nearly scared her off. And she and Revali were really hitting it off."

"Absolutely," Urbosa replied as she motioned to the four figures gathered around a small pile of tiles.

"Link I swear to all that is holy -"

"Draw four."

" - I hate you," Revali finished as he started drawing his tiles.

"She'll fit in nicely," Urbosa chuckled as the game started picking up in intensity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back just in time for classes to start.


	34. The Second Guardian Spirit

Link sidestepped, his sword flashing as he countered a Lizalfo's strike. The lizard-like monster fell to the ground as he raised his shield to block a blow from a Bokoblin. Before either he or the monster could react, the Lightscale Trident appeared from under his arm and planted itself in the Bokoblin's chest.

"Thanks," he grunted.

"You are welcome," Mipha replied as more monsters rushed them.

Link sighed as he readied his weapon. This had been the largest group of monsters they had encountered in a while and he was far from willing to deal with it. While he could appreciate the brief rest they had in the Rito Village, it was time to move on, and every second they wasted was one more that a friend spent locked away with a demon.

Together, he and Mipha cut their way through the rush of monsters, with Mipha's trident cutting through the monsters his sword and shield couldn't defend against.

He heard the crack of thunder, the twang of a bow, the growl of a wolf, and the roar of Daruk as the group of monsters was decimated by the Champions. In no time at all, they were left cleaning their weapons, or in Midna's case, licking her chops, as the horde lay in heaps around them.

"If this is what we can do now, what could we do when we had our full strength?" Daruk asked as he rolled his shoulders.

"You can come out now," Revali called, prompting their newest member to come out of hiding.

"I think I understand why Kass was hesitant to let me come," Medli said as she hopped down from the tree she had been hiding in. "You guys weren't joking when you said everything would go wrong five minutes after we left. I mean, I know it's been longer than five minutes, but still –"

Link and Mipha exchanged a grin as Medli continued prattling on about nothing in particular. It was rather entertaining to watch her find endless words for events they found rather mundane.

" – I guess why that's why you were all named Champions."

Link began scrounging through the weapons the monsters had dropped as Medli started a whole new spiel. He found nothing noteworthy until he stumbled across a spear whose blade glowed with a soft blue light. He held it up, analyzing the spear.

"What is that?" Mipha asked.

"That's a Frost Spear!" Medli replied excitedly as she rushed over. "May I see it?"

Link handed it over to the excitable Rito girl, watching with interest as she took it carefully, despite her enthusiasm, and began to eye it up and down. "Oh," she shuddered after a moment, "they were right when they said these things cool you down."

Link frowned as he thought back to the few seconds he had held the weapon. He hadn't noticed a chill, but he had been far too occupied to really notice.

"You said we were heading to the Gerudo Desert, right?" Medli asked.

"Yep," Daruk replied.

"Then you should hang on to this," the Rito girl decided as she handed Mipha the spear. "The Desert is hot, and this should help keep you cool… I hope…" Link and Mipha exchanged a glance as Medli sounded less and less sure of herself. "Well, I don't actually know if it will keep you cool enough in the Desert but –"

"It's too cold for Mipha to use right now, so I'll keep it for her," Link said as he took the spear from her politely. He was relieved when she nodded, not looking hurt in the slightest. Mipha had informed him that she was under the impression that he didn't like her, an opinion he didn't want to perpetuate, especially since things between he and Revali were finally starting to smooth over.

"I think we should find a suitable place and call it a day," Urbosa stated, to which Daruk agreed. Link didn't voice his opinion but was in favor of the decision. He didn't like the idea of making camp in the middle of a pile of corpses.

They found a nice spot a few yards away. When they cleared the area, Link pulled out a bundle of wood and his cooking pot and set to work. As he prepared their meal, he noticed the others settling in and starting quiet conversations with each other. Medli and Revali, Daruk and Urbosa, and…

"So, what were you thinking for tonight?" Mipha asked as she and Midna settled next to him.

"I was thinking a stew," he replied quietly as he cut herbs and scraped them in.

"That sounds nice."

"Does it?"

"I do appreciate how much fish you have made for me lately, but sometimes it is nice to have something a little different."

He nodded as he began chopping the meat that would serve to make a heartier meal. He enjoyed fish as well, but he had been craving something else for days.

Unlike the last few nights, where they had eaten as a large group, they ate in their small groups that night. After serving everyone, including himself, he and Mipha retreated from the fire and ate, talking quietly as everyone enjoyed their meal.

After they were finished eating and cleaning up, they began to separate even further. Urbosa pulled out a book and began flipping through the pages, Revali began his routine check on his arrows, Daruk sat by the fire stroking his beard, and Medli and Mipha had borrowed the Slate and were reading some of its contents.

That left Link, Midna, and Epona alone. The Hylian Champion had not forgotten about his horse and had made a quick stop to pick her up when they had left. As everyone else entertained themselves with their own tasks, Link set himself to brushing Epona down after he removed her saddle and other equipment. She nickered affectionately as he fed her an apple.

When he finished tending to his horse, he settled down next to Midna. The Hylian Champion leaned over and set a hand on the wolf's neck, gently massaging for a moment. "Want to go on a hunt?" he finally asked, grinning as her ears perked up and her body tensed.

The Wolf sprang up as he took to his feet, nearly bounding out of the camp as he took his bow and informed the others that they would be right back. He followed after his friend, keeping his senses trained for any sign of their prey.

* * *

"What's wrong, Big Guy?"

"Nothin.'"

"Uh huh," she replied as she gave the Goron a pointed glance. He had become depressed not long after they had arrived at the Village, and the trend had continued even after they left. "We're going to pretend I didn't buy that and I'll ask again: what's bothering you?"

"I guess I just thought things would go back to normal after we caught up," Daruk sighed, "but it looks like this is the new normal," he finished as he gestured to the four in front of them. "I just miss 'em is all."

"What?" Urbosa asked, feigning hurt, "am I not enough for you?"

"Not even close," he replied, cracking a small grin.

Despite her levity, she understood what Daruk was talking about. Revali and Medli gravitated towards each other just as Link and Mipha did, and since they had found her preferred master, Midna had returned to Link's side. That left the Goron and Gerudo Champions by themselves often.

It had only gone on for the few days since they had arrived in the Village, but already, she and Daruk could see the signs. The interactions they had with the younger three, while not few, were starting to lack the depth they once had. It was like the gaps they had bridged had grown larger, forcing both sides to work harder to build those bridges.

Both she and the Goron were willing to put in the effort, but the younger ones weren't quite ready yet.

It wasn't that they were trying to grow distant, but rather they had things they needed to work through on their own first.

"Give them time," she murmured as she watched each of their backs. "Right now, they need to figure out who they are, and they can't do that with us."

"I know," Daruk grumbled as he trudged forward.

Watching them grow was a bittersweet ordeal. It was gratifying to see that they were maturing, but it also brought a bit of pain. There was a certain comfort in knowing that she was needed, but now, she was forced to step back and watch from a distance as they began to take the next steps on their own.

"Looks like you're havin' a rough time with it too."

"Oh, that's for your benefit. It would be a shame if I left you feeling sad all on your own, wouldn't it?"

Daruk just sighed, cracking a small grin. "I really should start smilin' more."

"You should."

"Ya know, I saw somethin' odd –"

"Shh!" The Gerudo Champion strained her ears, listening carefully as her eyes drifted to the sky above. She was ready to swear that she had heard an eerily familiar sound.

"I'm bein' serious. I really think –"

"Not now!" she hissed as she glanced at Midna. The wolf's hackles were raised as she stared up at the sky, growling. Epona was also unsettled, despite Link's attempts to calm her nerves.

"What's wrong?" Daruk whispered as his eyes turned upwards.

"I think it's –" a roar cut her off temporarily as a giant, snake-like Dragon appeared above them "- Dinraal!" Urbosa felt adrenaline spike through her system as the Dragon screamed, causing everything around them to reverberate in time with his voice.

"Oi! Link! Rev –" Before Daruk could finish, Link had already climbed onto Revali's back and they were soaring up towards the Dragon above.

Urbosa watched, readying her fingers just in case the duo needed a distraction. She was so focused on the two above her that she almost didn't notice the stranger that approached her while staring up as well.

"My goodness," she said, awed by the dance that was taking place above them. "Do they intend to fight that thing?"

Urbosa's eyes flicked towards the stranger before glancing back up towards the duo. A second was all she needed to figure her out. She'd just have to trust they could handle themselves while she and the others handled a separate matter. "Yes, they do. Now, let's not waste any more time. Draw your weapon."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Urbosa replied as her hand trailed to her scimitar. "I would feel bad if I ran you through before you even had a chance to defend yourself."

* * *

Revali grimaced as he and Link climbed up towards Dinraal. With Link as limited as he was in the air, their options were few and not at all good. He could fly Link above and distract Dinraal while the Hylian used his paraglider and sword to fight, but he'd have to keep breaking away to fly the Hylian back up. He could fly Link to each eye, but that would severely limit his own mobility. If Dinraal were to attack, he would be hard pressed to get them out of the way.

There was another, even worse option. He could drop Link on top of Dinraal and hope that he was too small for the Dragon to notice. From there, assuming that Link was capable of staying on the Dragon, he would be able to distract Dinraal as Link dealt with the corruption. Considering the Dragon's winding body and erratic flight path, it wouldn't be long before Link lost his footing, and that was assuming he wasn't burned alive.

"Have a plan?" Link called.

"A few bad ones!"

"Combine them?"

His grimace twisted even further as he thought about it. They would have to coordinate better than they had in the past, and still, he could only envision it ending terribly. At least Dinraal wouldn't be able to adapt to their tactics.

"Get your paraglider ready!" he shouted as he brought them above Dinraal. "Try to land on him and take out as many as you…" The Rito Champion trailed off as he finally looked at the malice that covered the Dragon. Unlike the first time, when the eyes were small and spread out, there a small handful of large eyes, all of which swiveled towards them. Dinraal roared as he began to turn back towards them.

He felt Link's weight drop off his back, freeing him to gain Dinraal's attention. He took a shallow dive, racing towards the Dragon's head, wincing at the roar he heard when he entered the Dragon's field of vision.

Whether he liked it or not, he'd have to fly straight ahead in order to buy Link some time. The Rito Champion angled his head, watching over his shoulder as the gigantic maw behind him opened wide. He took a deep breath and resisted his initial urge to immediately begin a dive. His nerves were still frayed from his first encounter with the second Guardian Spirit, but he refused to let it get the better of him.

Too much relied on his ability to maintain a level head and keep Dinraal's attention. All he had to do was buy time.

He drew his wings in and rolled as the first wave of fire burned past him. As soon as the danger past, he tipped his left wing down and swerved back into Dinraal's path, his fingers itching to draw his bow the entire time.

He really wasn't suited to the role of sitting duck.

He pulled up as he saw the second attack coming, forming a massive loop as he dove back down behind the flames.

He twisted his neck further, trying to find any sign of Link and his progress, but all he could see was the face of an angry, red Dragon that was ready to roast him alive.

The Rito Champion pulled to the left as flames once again licked the air; however, this time, the attack was short-lived. A second later, Revali was forced to dodge again as another short burst of flames raced towards him.

Revali glared at the Dragon as it opened its mouth again. Dinraal was studying his movements, which would make it even harder to dodge, especially since the Dragon was slowly catching up to him.

He continued weaving his way between short blasts of fire, doing his best to keep in a straight line; however, the task became increasingly difficult. Dinraal was again switching tactics, spreading his fire in an ever-increasing area. The temperature around Revali spiked as the air began to ripple visibly. At the rate he was spewing fire into the air, the Dragon wouldn't even have to hit Revali. The Rito Champion would simply overheat.

It was then that he remembered something Link had told him once. The Hylian Champion had taken all of the ice arrows to Death Mountain specifically due to the differences in heat. While he had no doubt it wouldn't harm the Dragon in any capacity, it may buy him time to regroup with Link.

Revali slowed his forward momentum, allowing Dinraal's slow advance to escalate. When the Dragon drew dangerously close, he flipped around, drawing his bow and an ice arrow. He launched the single arrow into Dinraal's gaping mouth and flipped back around.

He flung his wings wide, catching the air as he felt the explosion and heard the Dragon scream in pain. Dinraal's head shot past him as his forward motion was all but stopped.

Revali scanned the Dragon's back for Link, finding him clinging to one of the spines that jutted out from the massive spine.

"Get on!" he shouted as he flew alongside Link. He wobbled slightly as the Hylian landed on his back, disrupting his balance. "How many did you get?"

"Two!"

"What have you been doing this whole time?!"

"It only sounded easy on paper!"

"Just keep that sword ready!" he shouted as he reoriented himself. If Dinraal could change tactics, then so could they.

* * *

Mipha twirled the Lightscale Trident, bringing it to bear as she stabbed towards one the assailants. The red and black-clad assassin knocked her strike aside and dashed in; however, it was useless as she let her spear fly, carrying her with it. As she came out of her spin, she flipped her trident back around and stabbed again, this time striking true as she delivered a deep cut in the man's shoulder.

He cried out as he fell back, gripping at his shoulder, but the Zora Champion had no time to catch her breath as two more of the Yiga assaulted her from both sides.

She sidestepped the first blow, spinning her trident and cutting through the man's calf. She turned her head as she turned around, whacking the woman behind her across the face with the butt of her weapon. The Zora then spun in the other direction, hooking her Trident behind the stunned woman's knee and sending her sprawling before finishing her spin and slapping the man with the flat of her weapon's prongs. They would not hesitate to kill her if they were provided the opportunity, but even so, she refused to take their lives unless it became absolutely necessary.

During the brief lull, the Zora Champion retreated in order to regroup with the others.

"Ya alright Mipha?" Daruk asked as he blocked a blow, sending a clan member flying.

"Yes," she replied quickly as she held her weapon up, ready for the onslaught to continue. "Medli?"

"She's fine," Urbosa replied shortly as she kicked her attacker in the chest, knocking him back a few steps as she launched herself at him and finished him with a blow from her buckler. "They sent more this time," she noted as another wave appeared from the tree line.

"Isn't it great?!" Daruk shouted as he grabbed another and smashed him into the ground.

"I think you need to work on your definition of great." Somehow, in spite of the current situation, Urbosa managed to give her response with her typically dry tone. She didn't even have to shout and Mipha could still hear her perfectly.

When Dinraal had first appeared, Mipha had felt her anxiety spike, which had only worsened when the Yiga had attacked moments later. Despite that, Daruk's exuberance at the possibility of a good fight, and Urbosa's apparent lack of concern helped to calm her nerves enough for her to maintain control. All she had to do was remember that Revali and Link had returned with a few minor scratches and burns after their battle with Medoh.

Mipha's grip on her weapon tightened slightly as more clan members rushed out of the trees. Before the first one reached her, Midna dashed out of a nearby bush and tackled the clan member. She clamped her jaws down on his arm and shook her head, causing a sickening pop to sound in the air.

Mipha stepped forward and battered aside a strike meant for the wolf. Midna then dashed and latched onto the assassin's leg, causing him to stumble as Mipha knocked him unconscious with the butt of her Trident.

She coaxed Midna into retreating slightly back towards the others. While the Wolf had proven herself to be more than adept when it came to fighting on her own, these weren't the simple monsters that normally plagued them. The assassins required a fair amount of her skill to handle, and she worried that Midna's relatively simple methods would get her killed.

As the fight continued, the Wolf would swipe or bite at the legs that approached Mipha, while the Zora would deflect their blows and take advantage of the distractions Midna provided. No matter how many they took down though, more would still come.

She watched hopelessly as the figures continued pouring out of the surrounding trees.

* * *

Link let his and Revali's momentum carry his sword as the Rito Champion flipped over Dinraal's back. The Master Sword gleamed brilliantly as it cut through another patch of malice that was afflicting the Dragon, followed shortly by a blood-curdling scream.

"That leaves only two more!" Revali shouted as the Dragon curved back, winding around them as Revali flew just above Dinraal's scales.

Link flattened himself against the Rito's back as Revali began picking up speed. He his stomach lurch sickeningly as the Rito began a complicated set of rolls, dives, and other maneuvers to keep them out of harm's way.

"Get ready!" That was the only warning Link had before Revali swooped down underneath Dinraal. The Hylian Champion looked up, swinging his sword up above his head as they passed the eye on the underside of the Dragon. Again, the Master Sword cut through the massive, malice-born creature.

"One left!" he shouted as heard the distorted scream he had come to associate with them.

The Hylian flattened himself again as Revali pulled up. He could tell that the Rito Champion was starting to tire as both his breathing and his flaps were becoming more labored.

Link glanced along Dinraal's length quickly, trying to find the last eye before Revali's strength gave out. He found it nestled between two of the Dragon's spines near the base of its neck. "Over there!"

"I see it!" The Rito Champion angled his flight path, bringing them close, but Link wasn't going to give him the chance to bring them closer. He wasn't sure that Revali had enough left in him to get them that far.

When they came over the top of the last of the eyes, Link dove off of Revali's back. He heard the Rito shout something, but the air that raced passed him whistled so loudly that he couldn't make out any of the words. As he fell, he was forced to lean slightly to the side as Dinraal continued moving underneath him. He would only have one shot, so he would have to make it count.

His grip on the Master Sword tightened as he raced towards the eye. He swung towards it, twisting his body to add to what little power he could muster. He only cut the edge, yet Dinraal roared, overriding whatever agonized sound the eye must have made.

"What in Din's name were you thinking?!" Revali shouted as he dove down towards him.

"I killed it!"

"Barely!"

Link pulled out his paraglider, gliding down towards the ground as he searched for the other Champions. "Can you see them?"

"Get on!" Revali shouted suddenly as he dove beneath Link. "They're in trouble!"

Despite the Rito's apparent exhaustion, he rushed them back down towards the others, who were fighting back to back.

The Hylian jumped off just before they reached the ground, arming himself with his shield as he took his place beside Mipha. "You alright."

"I am," she panted as she thrust her weapon and struck another clan member.

Link stepped in front of her, intending to give her some breathing room; however, the battle was over before the next blow landed. Fire rained down from above, encircling the Champions and cut them off from the rest of the world. Despite their proximity, Link couldn't feel the heat from them, yet he could hear shouts of pain from the other side.

Through the flames, he could just make out the forms of men and women retreating from the raging fires that surrounded him and his friends.

After a few moments, the flames died harmlessly, leaving no signs that they had ever been there at all.

"Wow!" Medli cried as she flew down from a nearby tree. "A couple of the Yiga noticed me up there, but then the base of the tree was surrounded by fire –" The Rito girl was cut off as a gigantic shadow fell over all of them.

"Dinraal," Mipha breathed in awe, prompting Link to look up.

Floating above them was the ruby red dragon that he and Revali had freed. Dinraal stared at him, making sure that he held Link's attention before nodding. His gaze then shifted to Revali, giving the Rito Champion a nod as well.

The Dragon inhaled sharply before lowering his head and exhaling on them all. Just like with Naydra, Link felt a surge of warmth and power flow through him. He clenched his fist as the sensations faded, already feeling an increase in his strength.

Unlike with Naydra, Dinraal did not leave immediately after blessing them with power. His large eyes shifted to Medli, regarding the female Rito with interest. To everyone's surprised, a deep, guttural voice emanated from the Dragon as continued staring at Medli.

Link's eyes shifted between the two as he continued listening, unfamiliar with the language that Dinraal was using. Medli, on the other hand, appeared able to grasp what was being said to her.

"I'm not entirely fluent," she said as she closed her eyes in concentration, "but he said something about a brother who still needs your help… Oh! He must mean Farosh!" she exclaimed as her eyes snapped open.

Dinraal nodded before speaking again.

"Okay… He says Farosh is really dangerous because he controls lightning – oh that does sound bad. I wonder how –" she stopped as Dinraal cut her off "- right, sorry. Not only does Farosh control lightning, but he will likely hunt us actively, so we should be on our guard as we enter his territory."

Dinraal started speaking again before Medli could continue. She tilted her head, listening carefully.

"He wants to reassure us that he will suppress Ganon's influence in this region and –" she paused as Dinraal continued his message "-… we all need a bath?"

Dinraal leered down at them, his chest heaving in an odd fashion as his breathing came out in short bursts. With nothing more to say, the Guardian Spirit took back to the skies, leaving them all to stare after him.

"Did he just tell me I need a bath?" Revali asked no one in particular. "Especially after he had all of that Malice covering him?"

"He has a point," Mipha sighed as she looked down at herself. "We are all covered in grime. It wouldn't hurt to freshen up a bit."

"So, we're going to take a bath because a Dragon –"

"We're going to take a bath because rolling around in our own filth is an excellent way to become sick," Urbosa interrupted firmly.

"There's a river nearby," Link volunteered as he pulled the Slate out and peered at the map.

Urbosa glanced at the map briefly before she turned to the other women in the group. "Let's go."

"Um… could I go alone?" Medli asked quietly.

"Sorry," Daruk replied as he shook his head, "but there might be more of the Yiga out there. It's too dangerous to go alone."

"He's right," Urbosa added as she swept a stray lock of hair out of her face. "Your options are to come with Mipha and me, or to go with Link and Revali. I'm guessing –"

"I'll go with you two!"

"That's what I thought," Urbosa chuckled as she led the way.

Link looked around the campsite, frowning as he noticed that Epona was nowhere to be seen.

"Somethin' wrong, Little Guy?"

"Where's Epona?"

"Oh, uh… I think she ran away when the fighting started."

Link nodded before he stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled. He sighed in relief when he heard a whinny from not too far off.

* * *

Medli had forgotten how nice it was to don a clean set of clothing after taking a bath. It was a refreshing experience that she didn't get to indulge in often.

"Feeling better?" Urbosa asked as she sat down next to her.

"Much better."

"Good," the Gerudo Champion replied. "So, tell me: where did you learn to speak the same language as Dinraal?"

"Oh, that's a long story." Though the others never complained, she was noticing that Mipha and Master Revali were the only ones that listened to everything she had to say. Rather than complaining or allowing it to embitter her, she merely chose to speak less. She couldn't always help herself, but she had taken great strides to limit herself.

"I have time."

"After Kass came back from his training as a bard, he spent a great deal of time practicing at home. I got to be his audience while he played. Even though I heard the same stories over and over again, I loved them more each time I heard them. One day, I decided that I wanted to learn more about those stories, so I started researching them."

Thinking back to those times brought a smile to her face. She had always loved listening to her older brother sing, telling stories of the past as his voice was accompanied by the sound of his accordion.

"Unfortunately, the histories that are translated into our dialect are done… poorly." She couldn't really blame the authors, seeing as it wasn't their fault that the current language was so limiting. The older speeches used one or more words for complicated subjects. Some words, like love, could have up to seven counterparts in older tongues, with each translation being fundamentally different than the others. It made translations difficult at best, and nearly impossible to truly translate what the text was saying, at least concisely.

In her opinion, the one thing the authors could have helped was how simply they worded their translations. What was the point in stating the events simply if so much was lost due to a lack of necessary descriptors?

"I started studying other languages so that I could learn more about the events my brother sang about. Unfortunately, I had to teach myself, so there was only so much I could learn."

"Impressive," Urbosa murmured thoughtfully.

"Is it?" Her brother had often praised her for her determination and capability when it came to teaching herself; however, she hadn't found it all that impressive. There were many times where she was forced to take a step back as she was unable to progress any further. It could be truly disheartening when it felt like there was nothing more she could do.

"There aren't many who have the discipline and dedication to teach themselves. That alone is impressive."

"Thank you. May I ask you something now?"

"You just did, but I assume that wasn't the question you had in mind."

"Why did you bring me along?"

"How honest do you want me to be?"

"As honest as you can"

"I agree with Kass for the most part. I don't like you being here considering how much danger we are in, but there are a few reasons that I argued for you. First, as you proved today, your knowledge of languages comes in handy. More importantly, I think that Revali needs you around right now."

"He… needs me?"

"You didn't know him before, but he struggled to get along with the rest of us and sometimes, he still struggles a bit. He does like you though," the Gerudo continued as she gave Medli a pointed look. "He stays on his best behavior when you're around and I think that will help him grow."

"I see…"

"While we are discussing this, I need you to make me a promise."

"Yes?" she asked, nervousness beginning to creep through her.

"I need you to promise that if the situation calls for it, you will do whatever Daruk and I ask of you. If we tell you to hide, hide. If we tell you to fly away and wait for us to find you, you will do so. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Good. Now then, if you will excuse me, I have a fascinating book to get back to."

"Before you do, I have one last question."

"Yes?"

"Do you think Master Link will teach me how to cook?" No matter how much effort she had put into learning how to, she had never successfully cooked a dish. Through the strangest course of events, the food would always wind up burnt.

"You want to learn how to cook? Medli, aren't things moving a little fast between you and Revali?"

"What?" she really didn't see the connection that Urbosa was trying to make.

"Oh, this could be fun," the Gerudo Champion mused before responding. "Yes, I think he'll teach you if you ask him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's to reworking a story outline. At least the chapter count may go up now.


	35. Whatever it Takes

"Were you just strutting?" Urbosa asked, causing the Rito Champion to freeze in place.

"No!" he replied as he rounded on her, overcoming his paralysis.

Strutting was a particular form of walking that male Rito partook in. During the early years of a Rito's life, a boy would unknowingly slip into a swagger, much to the amusement of those around him. Though he refused to admit it to the Gerudo Champion, Revali had unwittingly slipped into the same pattern of behavior as his childhood. Something which was added to the already merciless teasing he had to endure.

As a result, he had done his best to quash the natural instinct, which had ironically only served to isolate him further.

During festivals or similar celebrations, men of the Rito tribe would have plentiful opportunities to attract women as they strutted through the Village. Revali, having been thoroughly humiliated in the past, decided against what he had deemed to be such an asinine display; however, he could never figure out why the females of the Tribe only expressed a limited interest in him as a mate. It wasn't until Kaneli had informed him years later that his refusal to take part in the festivities had led women to believe that he was disinterested in them.

Despite the isolation it brought him, Revali actively refrained from strutting at all. He believed that he had all but lost the inclination, but apparently, he had not.

He eyed Medli, who was currently sitting next to Link as the Hylian showed her how to cook a simple dish. A part of him was annoyed by the fact that she hadn't been paying him any mind, the other part was extraordinarily grateful that she had not witnessed it. While most boys practiced their technique in private, he had not devoted any time to it at all. He likely looked like he was just learning how to walk.

"Really?" Urbosa asked in a whisper as she appeared next to him, causing him to jump. Sometimes he forgot how quickly she could close distances. "Because that looked like an attempt at strutting."

"I don't strut!" he hissed back, hoping that Medli wouldn't hear.

"Clearly." He narrowed his eyes at the dryness of her tone. He didn't like what she was insinuating.

"Oh, no." Both Champions' attention was directed towards Medli as the Rito girl groaned and hung her head. Beside her, Link's movements had become frantic, likely trying to save whatever dish Medli had just ruined.

"Maybe you two should take a break," Urbosa suggested.

"Yes!" Link replied, clearly frazzled by the latest development in his beloved cooking pot.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, he'll survive dear. While you aren't busy there was something I was hoping to ask you about if you don't mind?"

Revali's eyes narrowed further as the Gerudo Champion sent him a playful smile. While he could tolerate her more than he used to, the insufferable woman still knew how to ruffle his feathers.

Both Medli and Urbosa walked a short distance away and had a hushed conversation, leaving a very paranoid Revali to sit restlessly while Link finished cleaning his instruments.

"You don't have to be so dramatic," he sniffed as he looked at the nearly traumatized Hylian.

"…"

"Seriously, is such a big deal that she made one tiny mistake?"

"Is it a big deal that you were strutting?"

The two glared at each other, a mutual understanding being passed between them.

"Grab your sword," Link muttered.

"Get your bow."

Once the duo had grabbed the equipment they needed, they left the camp behind and found a suitable spot to pick up their training.

The Rito Champion struggled with impatience when it came to Link's instruction. He supposed it wasn't really Link's fault, and he did understand where the Hylian was coming from. Proper technique took time and discipline to develop, something he had all too much experience with.

No, his frustration was due to the fact that he felt he was crawling along slowly while Link was making faster progress under his own tutelage. It was his own fault really. Link had honed his skills with the blade; however, he had not made his focus nearly so exclusive as Revali's. He had spent time with multiple weapon types, one being the bow. While the Hylian's archery skills required a lot of work, his previous experience meant that he didn't have to start at the bottom like Revali did. Not only that, but his adaptability allowed him to learn far more quickly than the Rito had anticipated.

All in all, he was frustrated at his lack of foresight, so he dealt with his frustration in one of the few ways he knew how. He threw himself into his new training regime.

Distantly, he was aware of the shocking increase of his own stamina. The first time he and Link had trained together, they had only been able to continue for a fraction of the time that they were going now. It did help to alleviate his frustrations as it was a form of progress, even if it wasn't what he had been hoping for.

Near the end of their impromptu sword training, Link finally walked him through a form he could practice. To call it simple was an understatement. It used only one of the basic blocks he had learned and one of the basic cuts; however, it was progress and it would give him the chance to prove himself.

They took a short break before switching to bows.

As always, Revali started a lesson by making Link tighten his bow and count his arrows, to which the Hylian obliged. If he had any complaints about it, he kept them to himself to Revali's relief. Teba had spent a sizable amount of time complaining about the Rito Champion's teaching methods, making him dread the possibility that Link would follow suit.

After Link had completed the first task, he proceeded to fire arrows at selected targets as Revali critiqued his technique, occasionally stepping in to fix the Hylian's form.

"I suppose you're making acceptable progress," the Rito sniffed as he tilted his beak upwards, "you still have a ways to go, though."

He sighed as Link just shrugged.

With their training complete for the day, they cleaned up and made their way back to the camp. When they finally returned, Revali felt his stomach drop as he found Medli and Urbosa still conversing quietly.

"I'm sorry, Master Link!" she exclaimed, jumping up as she spotted them. "I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble!"

"Nothing that couldn't be fixed," the Hylian replied as he waved off her apology.

"I think she's ready to try again," Urbosa commented as she subtly placed herself next to Revali, "as for you, _Master_ Feathers, I could use some help with a… project of mine."

"I think you are more than capable of handling it on your own –"

"Now, now, I understand that you are a Rito legend according to whoever wrote the –"

"What do you want?" he asked, cutting her off before she could say anything else.

"Like I said, I need help with a certain project."

"Fine," he growled as he motioned with his head, "let's get this over with."

* * *

"Are you and Medli finished already?" Mipha asked as Link settled next to her.

"Yep," he muttered as he pulled off his boots and set his feet in the pond in front of them.

"How did it go?" She giggled as Link shuddered. It must have gone horribly wrong if that was all he could manage. "Not well?"

"No."

"Is there something she is doing wrong?"

"She gets distracted too easily, and everything burns," he muttered.

"Ah." She did her best to take his concerns seriously, in spite of a desire to roll her eyes. She thought it was only right when he gave her that same consideration, especially when she thought back to some of the ridiculous things that had bothered her in their younger years.

Nothing more was said for a long time as they sat staring at the water below. After a while, she saw Link pull a small book out of his satchel and begin turning it over in his hands. The Zora Champion recognized the old leather cover from somewhere, but she was far too distracted by the deep rivers of thought she found herself wading through.

"So…" she looked at the Hylian as he began uncertainly. "Sidon gave this to me while we were in the Domain," he said as he handed her the book.

The Zora Princess took the book into her hands and looked at it with mild curiosity. Though it was untitled, she couldn't help but think that she had seen the leather-bound pages before. She opened to the first page and stared blankly at the page as the words she had used in her first diary entry danced in her vision.

"H-how much did you read?" she asked shakily as she closed the book and held it tightly.

"All of it," he replied quietly.

"…" She had considered giving it to him to read at some point in the future; however, even in those scenarios where she had given it to him on her own terms, she was horrendously embarrassed by the thought of him reading it. That being said, it was the only way she could ever think of to say all of the things she had always wanted to tell him.

Now, finding out that he had already read it without her knowing, she was nearly overcome with the desire to flee, only stopping when she could find a place that he would never find her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's all right," she replied mechanically. "I was thinking about letting you read it someday."

"I… I didn't realize how much I meant to you."

"… How could you?" she asked weakly. "We never sat down and talked about us. I had a lot of opportunities to tell you, but I never found the strength to say it."

"…"

"And then," she continued, finding that now that she was having a hard time stopping despite only just barely starting, "after you became a knight, you were so withdrawn that I began to wonder how much of you was truly left. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reach you." As much as it shamed her, there had been a time when she dreaded his return to the Domain because it hurt to be so close and yet so far away.

"But then you were named Hylian Champion and Zelda's personal guard. At first, I was a little envious because that meant that she was able to spend more time with you than I, but then, you started coming back little by little. I was happy until I realized that you weren't coming back to me. You were coming back to her. I suppose after I saw that, I gave up hope that you would ever see me again," she finished with a small choke.

"…"

"I'm sorry. I should not be burdening you with –"

"I'm not in love with Zelda."

"… What?"

"I do love her, but she's like a sister to me," he muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I still don't really remember much of her, but I do know that I was never in love with her."

"… I see." She felt a little bit of hope rekindle in her as their conversation died. After Link had rejected her proposal, she had spent an ample amount of time trying to convince herself that she should be happy for Link and Zelda. She had been sure that Zelda would have been his first choice, but it seemed that was wrong in that regard. It meant that maybe there was still hope that he would change his mind.

Looking back, she was sure that turning her down had been a good decision. She could see now that she had been far from ready to handle the stresses that came with binding her life to someone else's. The Zora Princess had spent a considerable time imagining a perfect fairytale ending for herself, but it seemed that life wouldn't accommodate that. It had struck her hard at first, but she was slowly learning to accept that. It came with the realization that not having a fairy tale ending, but rather working for that happy ending, may make her life more meaningful and satisfying.

With nothing else to focus on, she returned her attention to the diary she held. For many years, she had used it to document the thoughts and feelings she could never express to anyone else. There had always been a certain solace in knowing that what she wrote would remain between it and her.

That small comfort was no longer there, as now Link had been let into that part of her that she had tried so desperately to hide. She had expected it to weigh her down, to make it difficult to be in his presence let alone look him in the eye. She felt none of those things as she finally made eye contact with him.

Instead, she felt as though a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. There was relief in knowing that maybe someone was closer to understanding who she truly was. She made a split-second decision before she could change her mind. "I want you to keep this," she murmured as she handed her diary back to him.

The Hylian Champion took it gingerly, his eyes widening in surprise before he placed it back in the pouch at his waist.

They sat for a while longer, neither having much of anything to say.

Eventually, Link stood back up, grabbing his boots as he turned away. "Mipha," he said, getting her attention, "you mean a lot to me too."

She smiled at him before standing up herself and following him back to the camp. Again, she was under the impression that he was trying to say something more, but right then, she was content to take his words at face value.

* * *

"Hand it over."

"That would be rather difficult," Urbosa replied as she smiled playfully at the agitated Rito before her.

Revali lunged forward, latching onto the object she held in her hands. She didn't fight to maintain her grip on the book as Revali tore it out of her hands. The Rito Champion retreated a few steps and flipped the pages open.

The Gerudo withheld a chuckle as Revali's slackened considerably as his eyes darted across the words. "This isn't it!" he snapped as he flung the book on the ground. "Where is it?!"

"It's back in the Rito Village," she replied calmly, trying to hide the spasms in her chest as the Rito Champion stared at her blankly.

"You're joking…"

"I never actually read it. I considered it, but I thought that perhaps I should respect your privacy… this time anyway." She did finally let loose a chuckle as Revali continued to stare at her uncomprehendingly. "I told you it would be rather difficult to return to you."

"Then why would you- what was the point of- just… why?"

"Why what, specifically?"

"Why lead me to believe you have it?"

"To see how you would respond."

"What does that have to do with- "

"Are you embarrassed by your past?"

"No! I just want it to…" He took a deep breath, collecting himself as he lowered his voice, almost growling at her, "I just want it to remain private. Is that too much to ask?"

"That depends on who's asking," she replied as she sat down, crossing her legs as she motioned for him to sit with her. She stared at him expectantly as he declined.

"Fine," he muttered as he sat down next to her, "I'll bite."

"Here's my concern; you can't seem to decide whether or not you want to pursue Medli or not –"

"And what –"

"You made it my concern when you supported her joining us. We all have a role to play, and mine happens to be looking after everyone's emotional well-being," she replied austerely. While Mipha was the most empathic by far, the Zora Princess was kind to a fault and not truly suited to the job. She hadn't yet obtained the wisdom and dispassion required to tend the wounds that others couldn't see.

"Will you just get to the point already."

"If you don't intend to court her, then don't lead her on."

"And if I do?" he asked quietly, not quite meeting her eyes.

"Then you're going to have to learn to be honest with her, and not just about this," she replied as she pulled a book out that she had hidden before the conversation had started. She threw her head back, roaring with laughter as Revali's eyes widened a split second before he ripped the book out of her hands and tossed it well out of arm's reach. "You make it too easy!"

"I hate you!" he seethed after she informed him that the pages were blank.

"Someday, you need to learn to be honest with her."

"I have been honest with her," he protested.

"Once? Twice?" She sighed as he began fidgeting uncomfortably. "You'll have to be honest with her all the time. Not just when you feel like it."

"Why do you care so much?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"You want the real answer?"

"No, I want the answer you're about to pull out of thin air," Revali replied sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

"I'm trying to live the love life I could never live through you and Medli."

"Did you get out of your system?"

"At heart, I'm just a hopeless romantic," she mumbled, feigning hopelessness as she threw her hands up.

"Here we go…"

"I don't see your best self when you're around her, but I see what it might look like. I would hate for you to lose that."

"… My best self?"

"Believe it or not, I have expectations for what kind of Rito you will be," she replied. The Gerudo Champion believed that he was capable of far more good than she had seen from him thus far and she also believed that Medli could help bring that to the forefront; however, she couldn't make the choice for him. All she could do was try and guide him as best she could.

"Oh, you have expectations of me? Who would have guessed?"

"I know. Having expectations of your traveling companions is such a novel concept. Daruk is still trying to figure his way out of it."

They sat in silence for a long time before Revali finally spoke again. "I know you're just trying to help, but can you please just leave this to me?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

The Rito Champion stood back up and left her sitting there, pondering their exchange long after he was gone. His honesty, while still lacking in straightforwardness, still surprised her. There was a time not so long ago when he would have adamantly denied having any sort of interest in anyone, let alone dance around the topic of growing close to anyone.

She leaned her head back and sighed as her thoughts drifted to the road ahead. One last Beast lay between the Champions and Ganon. One last Beast before she could free her little bird.

Much of the relationship between Zelda and herself was still a mystery to her, but she knew enough. Watching the young girl shoulder the weight of Hyrule had put a thorn in her side that she was eager to remove.

The Princess of Hyrule still had a long road ahead of her, one wrought with the pains of rebuilding a broken land. Years would have to be spent reconstructing towns, roads, bridges, reforming political ties, and restoring faith in the throne. It would take years, likely more than one lifetime, to make Hyrule great once more.

Her thoughts drifted to what would happen when it was all over. According to Medli, she had been the Chieftain before the Calamity, and a beloved one at that. Much like Daruk though, she had no intention of trying to retake the title. To do so would throw the entirety of Gerudo society into upheaval, no matter how much she had been loved and that would be one more thing that Zelda would not need to deal with. She supposed she could be an emissary, or perhaps a member of their guard. She could retire as well, though the idea was less than appealing. She just couldn't imagine herself lazing the rest of her days away quite yet.

In reality, it didn't quite matter yet. There was still plenty of time to decide on her course of action once all was said and done. She just didn't want to waste time trying to decide after Ganon was sealed away once again. That was when the real work would begin, after all.

She sighed as she stood back up. As far as they had come, there was still so much to be done.

* * *

"Dice these," Link said as he handed Medli a bowl of mushrooms.

She took them with a large amount of apprehension as the Hylian turned back to his pot. So far, her forays into the culinary arts had gone poorly, and each time she messed up, it put a clear strain on her teacher. She worried that if she made any more mistakes, he would snap and refuse to teach her anymore.

She took one of the mushrooms out of the bowl, and placed it delicately on a rock, worried that any wrong motion would destroy it beyond usability.

She gripped the knife in her hand, wishing that it felt more comfortable in her hand. As she began the task, her utensil slipped around, nearly cutting herself. She fumbled for a few more seconds before she noticed Link standing above her. She felt herself reflexively withdrawing under the Hylian imperceptible gaze.

"I see the problem." Saying nothing more, he took the knife from her and began looking around the camp, leaving her sitting, feeling as though she had done something terribly wrong. She sat there, her face falling further and further until Link stepped back in front of her. He held the knife in his hands, but something about it was off.

It wasn't until she took the object back into her hands that she realized how it had changed. The Hylian Champion had gathered twigs that were lying around the camp and had bound them around the handle, increasing its girth. It wasn't perfect, or what she imagined perfect like, but it was much more comfortable than it had been.

He sat beside her, watching as she sliced through the fungus. "Watch your thumb," he cautioned quietly as she worked her way down the stem. She tucked the loose appendage under her hand as he had taught her.

She continued slicing, even after he had left her side to tend to the pot. She watched him out of the corner of her eye but quickly stopped as she nearly cut her herself again. In the past few attempts, he had her trying to keep control of the entire dish, but now it was like she was only responsible for one element. She couldn't help but think she had done something wrong.

When she finished, she brought them to Link, fidgeting nervously as he inspected her work. "Good job," he said simply as he handed her a few greens. "How do you cut those?" he asked as he dumped the mushrooms into the pot with the rice that was already simmering.

"At an angle," she answered quickly. While having a teacher wasn't necessarily a new experience, having one that was attentive to her was. It occurred to her that attentive may not have been the best descriptor; however, he did pay attention when she asked for help and would periodically stop what he was doing to check on her. It was certainly far more stressful than she had imagined it would be. Even so, she couldn't help feeling a swell of pride as the Hylian nodded in approval. She left him by the pot to go complete her second task.

She handed him the bowl and sat across from him when she finished. "Master Link… did I do something wrong?"

"No," he replied as he took the greens and dumped them in. "You were getting overwhelmed earlier, so I thought I would give you one thing to focus on this time."

"So next time…"

"You'll cut again, and we'll add something more." Link continued stirring, only stopping to take a spoon and test the rice. He frowned and quickly added some salt. "Why do you want to learn how to cook now?"

"Huh?"

"Why do you want to learn right now? Why not back in the Village?" he clarified.

"Oh… um… let me see…" She hummed and hawed for some time before deciding how to put it. "You know how Hylian artisans spend their lives trying to develop one skill?"

He nodded in response

"Well, we Rito also believe in developing talents, but not just one. Because of our comparatively long lives, we try to develop as many talents as we can. For instance, not only is my brother a master bard but did you know that he is also skilled in blacksmithing and woodworking?"

Link tilted his head in interest. "Is that why Revali is learning to use a sword."

"Probably," she agreed. While the Rito Champion had a mastery of the bow that was unmatched as far as she knew, that would only get him so far. It was socially expected that he would not only maintain that formidable skill but develop as many others as he could.

"So, why now?"

"Ah… yes," she mumbled abashedly, wishing that he hadn't asked. She imagined that he had already guessed the answer, but it was nice to believe that he was in the dark. "I… struggle when it comes to learning things that aren't in books. I've tried to learn different things, but my teachers always send me away because I am 'unteachable'. Sometimes I think the only things I'll ever be good at is playing the harp and memorizing words on a page," she finished, unable to hide how disheartened she felt.

There was another reason she wanted to learn how to cook, but it was much more personal. She had always hoped to raise a little one or two of her own. Certainly not five like Kass, but one or two sounded nice. Unfortunately, her own inability to properly take care of herself was problematic, especially since it hindered her ability to find a mate.

Since her date with Master Revali, she had become more concerned with learning how to keep up a home at the bare minimum. While she wasn't holding out hope that the Rito Champion would actually court her, she figured it couldn't hurt her any to learn, and it may even increase her chances of winning him over.

To her surprise, Link handed her the ladle.

"What?" she asked as she took it from him.

"You won't learn if you don't practice," he replied simply.

She beamed as she stuck the ladle in and began stirring in earnest, which quickly turned to panic as the Hylian Champion began to lose his composure. Apparently, she still had a long way to go.

* * *

"Ya okay?" Daruk asked as Urbosa slipped quietly back into the camp.

"I am," she replied as she sat next to him. She glanced over at Link and Medli, chuckling as she watched Link slowly losing his sanity. "Has that been going on a while?"

"Yep." He found it just as humorous to watch as the Gerudo Champion did. It wasn't often that they got to see the Little Guy get that worked up. "So, how was your conversation with Revali?" he asked as Medli nearly upended the pot entirely.

"Better than I thought," she chortled as Link dashed forward and grabbed both sides of the pot to keep it from overturning.

He had likely burned his hands in the process, but that was the strength of his devotion to food.

"Good." It was nice to not have to worry about keeping the peace between the two of them.

"And, how are you?" Urbosa asked.

"Fine. Just been thinkin.'"

"About what?"

"The future," he replied simply. While it was technically true, the answer was a bit more open-ended than he meant it to be. There was one particular aspect of the future he was mulling over.

"Who are you, and what did you do with my big, loveable Goron?"

He cracked a grin as he watched Link finally regain control.

"I suppose it's only natural," she continued, "we are coming to the end of the road after all."

"Yeah," he agreed as he continued watching Link. Sometimes, he was amazed when he considered that the young Hylian before him had once been a child no taller than his knee.

Seeing at least some of the growth that Link had undergone was almost cathartic in a way. He couldn't remember watching his own son grow, and he would never be able to witness the kind of Goron he had become, but he could watch Link grow up. In that way, he was not only honoring his friend but watching a kid of his own grow into a strong brother.

"So, what exactly are you thinking about?"

"I made a promise to an old friend."

"Do you have the past and future confused?"

Daruk rolled his eyes as she grinned at him. "I made a promise to Link's father. I told him I'd look after the Little Guy. Here we are, comin' to the end of the road, and I can't help but think I haven't done a good job of that."

"You've done as good as anyone can be expected to do," Urbosa replied thoughtfully. "No matter how hard we try, there are just some things we can't protect them from."

"I know," he sighed, "but I still feel guilty."

"I understand." He looked at the woman sitting next to him, seeing for once the burdens that she often kept hidden from him. As much as he wished it wasn't true, sometimes it was nice to be reminded that she had concerns just like the rest of them.

"I guess, if it comes to it, I'll do whatever it takes," he stated firmly as he made a fist and pounded it on his chest.

"… You know," Urbosa started, her usually carefree tone resurfacing, "I was reading a story the other day, and one of the characters said that exact thing."

"Did he?" Daruk asked absently. Sometimes, stories were nice things, but he was a little too engrossed in his thoughts to pay them any mind right now.

"She," Urbosa corrected, "and yes she did. Can you guess what happened a few chapters later?"

"What?"

"She died."

"Oh…" That was certainly enough to bring him crashing back down to earth. While he had known that death was a possibility, something about hearing it out loud made all the more real. Even so, it didn't change what he had to do. He would do his best to protect Link, even if it meant that he had to die.

"Just promise me you won't follow suit," Urbosa finished with a pointed look.

"Ha! It's gonna take more than some pig monster to take me down!" he shouted, causing everyone in the camp, including the animals, to freeze and turn towards him. He felt slightly embarrassed as Urbosa broke out in a fit of laughter, slapping his shoulder before doubling over. He frowned at her as he considered giving her a pat on the back. At some point, she would have to learn that some things just weren't that funny.

"I think it's ready," Link said quietly after everyone recovered from Daruk's sudden outburst.

"Oh dear…" Medli sighed with a pained grimace on her face.

Daruk could understand the sentiment. Even from where he was sitting, Daruk could smell that something was not quite right about the dish that Link was currently serving. He wasn't well versed in such matters, but he knew what Link's food was supposed to smell like.

He watched, cringing with the Hylian Champion and the others as they each took a bite. He had to admit that Urbosa had a point.

No matter how hard he tried, there were simply some things he wouldn't be able to protect the Little Guy from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How I managed to finish this and a one-shot today, while also finishing my homework is a mystery to me.


	36. The Final Guardian Spirit

"What are you doing, Master Revali?" Medli asked as she joined the Rito Champion on the ground.

Revali looked from the branch he was holding, pausing in his tracks as he gave her a nod in greeting. "Making a bow," he answered as he resumed stripping the wood of bark.

"May I watch?" she asked.

"It's not that exciting, but you can if you want," he replied absently. Thankfully, she didn't seem offended by his lack of interest and enthusiasm. While making a proper bow wasn't exactly difficult, it required a decent amount of concentration.

The Rito girl sat next to him quietly, watching with interest as he experimentally bent the branch. He growled in annoyance as he felt far too much resistance and heard the faint sound of cracking. He set it down, taking a calming breath before he got back to his feet.

"I have to go find another branch."

"Oh, I'll come with you!" The excitable Rito leaped to her feet and started following him as he began poking around for a suitable branch. "May I ask why you are making another bow? Is your Falcon bow damaged?"

"No, I…" He grimaced as he covered his eyes with a wing. He certain that his reason was only something that would make sense in the confines of his own mind. "… I've been feeling like I'm stuck… or maybe…"

"Stagnated," Medli offered.

"Huh?"

"Maybe you feel like you aren't making any more progress. Like you've gone as far as you can go."

"Yeah," he muttered. It was a large part of why he had picked up a sword in the first place. While he felt like he was gaining competence, it was like he was crawling along while Link was bounding forward with his own training. It was difficult to believe he was making progress while one of his peers was so easily able to adapt what he learned.

It was humiliating if he was honest. He had always tried to make himself appear superior in every aspect, but, time and time again, he was given examples of just how far behind he was. "I suppose I thought that maybe I could try to remake my old bow."

"The Eagle bow? How would that help?"

"If I can't remake it with improvements, then it proves that I really can't go any further." He wasn't sure it would be an accurate measure of what he had left to accomplish, but it was something he wanted to try all the same.

"Oh," Medli replied thoughtfully, "I understand."

"You do?"

"Kass likes to tell me that the best learning is done through failure, but I'm not so sure. If that were true, I feel like I'd be the wisest Rito ever," she sighed.

"You're getting better at cooking," Revali offered after a moment of awkwardly searching for something to say.

"Not really. Master Link has to keep making up for my mistakes."

He could sympathize with the hopelessness he saw on her face. There had been a time when he too wondered if his efforts would ever amount to anything.

"So," he started as he mentally reached for anything to change the subject, "how did they make bows in ancient times?" He mentally palmed his face as he considered just how inane the question must have sounded.

Medli tilted her head in thought, forgetting her woes for the moment. "Well, as I understand it, they use the same woods these days; however, they used the tendons from larger animals for the string."

"They what?!" He was caught somewhere between admiration at the ingenuity and disgust at the thought of using such a thing.

"Yep. They used tendons as bowstrings," Medli replied with a nod.

"Did they work?" he asked, still not quite sure he was hearing her right.

"Oh yes. Though I suppose that isn't really surprising. Animal tendons have to be strong and durable, so it's only natural they would work so well."

"I'll take your word for it," he replied.

"May I ask a question now?"

"Sure," he replied as he started his search anew. He had been so distracted by their conversation that he had momentarily forgotten what he was doing.

"Why did you want me to come along."

Again, Revali forgot what he was doing as he got lost in the moment, not entirely sure how to respond at all. "I guess I thought it might do you some good to get out of the Village," he finally said.

"Do me some good?"

"I… remember how… lonely it can be," he answered awkwardly, wishing that he was better at having conversations like the one he was currently involved in.

If he were better at saying what he meant, he might have mentioned how odd he found it that he felt loneliest when he was surrounded by the members of his own race. How it had been like a breath of fresh air to travel through Castle Town with no one knowing who he was ,despite his complaints to the contrary.

"You're right," she murmured sadly. "It seems like if you're the odd duck, then there's very little chance you'll ever belong. Is that why you enjoy traveling with them?"

"What?"

"Is that why you like traveling with the other Champions? Do they make you feel like you belong?"

"Who said I like traveling with them?!" he squawked.

"Well, since we've left the Village, you act… happier, maybe," she said, visibly debating whether or not it was the right word to use.

"I'm just glad to be away from the Village is all," he grumbled. He sighed internally as he could see by the expression on her face that she didn't quite believe him. "I suppose that they aren't all that bad," he conceded, earning a small giggle from Medli.

"You act so much like Genli. She pretends that she hates singing, but she actually loves it quite a lot."

"Then why would she pretend to hate it?"

"Maybe pretend is the wrong word," she said thoughtfully, before perking back up. "Maybe I should say that she has convinced herself that she hates it. I think it's the same with you and the other Champions.

"Not in the slightest," he sniffed. "I tolerate them because I have to." He hid a smile as she tilted her head and looked at him like he was one of her books. He wasn't sure why being analyzed like that would make him want to smile. Maybe it was because he had managed to distract her and even made her laugh, even if that hadn't been his intent.

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

"What?" he asked.

"I wasted your time while you were trying to make a new bow," she explained apologetically.

"There are… worse uses of my time." The Rito Champion was again feeling the need to slam his head into something. He wished he could learn to think before he opened his mouth and said something childish.

"I should get going."

"You should stay," he said quickly, ignoring the voice that was screaming in the back of his mind. "What I meant to say is that I… enjoy your company." He let out a deep breath, wondering why that had been so hard to say.

"Really?"

"Yes… maybe you could help me," he offered weakly. Medli tilted her head in puzzlement for a moment before she nodded.

"Okay! I'm not sure how much help I'll be though."

"I'm sure we can figure it out." He had years of experience crafting bows. How hard could it be?

* * *

Mipha had considered dissuading Link; however, she could tell even before she had spoken to him that he had made up his mind about something. While she hated to think that he was putting extra effort in just for her sake, she knew that it would be pointless to try and convince him. He was going to see it through just as surely as she would heal him if he were injured.

She shook the thought off quickly. Her anxiety levels were high enough without thinking about the Hylian Champion and potential injuries. She hadn't truly gotten enough sleep since the night that Link had spent the night sitting beside her but the last few nights had been particularly bad. Nightmares had been plaguing her, making what little sleep she did get far from restful. According to Urbosa, she had even been shouting at one point, much to her shame. None of the others had made complaints, but she was certain that she had disturbed them as well.

Unfortunately, waking up hadn't been the end of it. All that morning, she had been struggling to maintain control of her frayed nerves, doing the best she could to refrain from melting down. Poor Medli had tried to help, but Mipha had turned her away a bit more harshly than she had intended to.

She wanted to believe that it was nothing, but a small voice nagged at her that all was not well, and it had only grown louder as the sun had climbed higher and higher into the sky. A voice that warned her to hide for the foreseeable future.

Now, Link was leading her along a path towards the top of a nearby hill. He had made a habit of taking her away from others when he wanted to have a personal conversation. The lack of curious ears made it easier for both of them to relax. In his hand, he held the same basket that he had given to Revali during his date with Medli. If she had to guess, he had cooked a sizable amount of food in a variety of ways in an effort to cheer her up. While eating was something that helped him more than her, she had no doubt that he had been thoughtful enough to make the things that she liked.

When they reached the top of the hill, Link opened the basket and, to her surprise, pulled out a large cloth and set it on the ground. He sat on top of it and patted the spot next to him, letting her know that she was supposed to join him.

"How're you feeling?" he asked as she sat next to him.

"I am all right," she replied.

"… So how are you really feeling?"

She sighed as he stared at her, already knowing that it would do no good to try and lie her way out of the question. "I… am not doing well," she murmured. The Hylian Champion lay back, shifting his gaze to the sky above. The Zora Champion followed suit, her eyes flitting between her friend and the sky, not finding solace in either.

"It's nice out here," Link noted quietly as they listened to the birds chirping around them. A soft but constant breeze blew past them, causing the grass to sing gently to them as the blades rustled together.

Just South of them, towering over everything in sight, was the Gerudo Highlands that separated the Desert from the rest of Hyrule. In a few short hours, they would be on the cusp of entering Urbosa's homeland and the domain of the final Divine Beast; however, such thoughts were far from her mind.

"It is," she replied, mildly confused by the change in topic. After a moment's thought, she decided it wasn't out of the ordinary for the Hylian. If he thought that somebody didn't want to discuss something, then he wouldn't pursue the topic.

They sat silently, soaking in the sun as they stared up at the boundless expanse of blue sky above them. Ordinarily, it would have been a bit too warm for Mipha's tastes, but she had exchanged the Lightscale Trident for the frost spear, which helped to keep her cool.

Finally, Link opened his mouth to speak. "…Why me?"

"Hmm?" she hummed absently.

"You could have chosen anyone. Why choose me?"

It was a question that she had spent copious amounts of time considering. As it turned out, the answer was much simpler than she had thought. "To just about everyone, I was Mipha the Zora Princess," she sighed. While being a Princess had its benefits, there were downsides as well. Very few people had paid attention to her emotional needs. The council had been more concerned with proper conduct, appearance, knowledge, and other niceties. The people had viewed her as some sort of untouchable entity, one that had substantial power over them.

"To you," Mipha continued as she kept her eyes locked on the sky, "I was just Mipha. I could be your friend for no other reason than because I wanted to. I never had to wonder if you were trying to use me for your own ends," she murmured as she suddenly began chuckling. "You were so innocent that I imagine you would have been horrified by the thought."

Link didn't reply, but she wasn't disappointed. The Zora Champion had started thinking about many of the marvels that she had discovered in her Hylian friend.

"I was surprised that it was a Hylian who treated me as an actual person," she sighed. "I had met several Hylian ambassadors before, and I only ever felt that they held contempt for us Zora, but you… you were different. I always got the impression that you saw me as a Zora but weren't bothered in the least. In fact, you would often comment on how much you enjoyed living in the Domain."

"Zora are cool," he replied.

She smiled at that. She was glad to see more and more of his childlike nature resurfacing. While it was still a rare occurrence, it was far more common than it had been before.

"Why you?" she asked, repeating Link's earlier question. "You were, and are, the most remarkable person I have ever met, and my best friend. I will always love you," she murmured quietly. While it was nothing that Hylian Champion didn't already know, she was overjoyed that she could finally say the words without suffering from fear or embarrassment.

Link gave her an indecipherable look, but after a moment, she felt his hand entangle itself with her own. He opened his mouth as though ready to say something, but all that came out was a sigh.

"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm not good with words," he sighed, "but I…" he trailed off, seemingly unable to finish.

She wasn't sure why it was right then, but as her friend struggled to say what was on his mind, all of the cryptic things he had said over the past couple of weeks came back to the forefront of her mind. Link continued his struggle to speak as she struggled to fit the words of the past together. Suddenly, it clicked.

"You feel the same… that's what you've been trying to tell me, isn't it?" she asked as she searched his face for any sign of the answer.

The Hylian Champion nodded.

"I kept misunderstanding, didn't I?" she asked sadly, her sorrow increasing as he nodded again. It pained her to know that she had been so oblivious that he had to step far too much out of his comfort zone. Stepping out a little wasn't a bad thing, but too much at one time could damage any sort of relationship. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"I should have –"

"I need to learn to say it," he replied. He sighed again, "Remember our first night in the Village?"

"Yes."

"I… said it then, but I… it sounded wrong."

"Wrong?"

He was silent for a long moment, as though contemplating how to explain what he meant. "It sounded cold like I didn't mean it."

"Oh…" She wasn't sure what to make of the news. As a child, she had always imagined that if such a moment came, it would be accompanied with flowers and declarations of undying love or other such romantic gestures. When she had grown up a bit, Mipha had altered the image a bit; however, even when taking Link's rather quiet nature into account, she still hadn't imagined it would be like this.

The more she thought about it, the more heartwarming she found it. Not the words that he couldn't say, but the ways that he had tried to say it. Even though Revali had apologized for all of the awful things he had said to her, Link had still gone out of his way to assure her that it wasn't true. Then, he had gone out of his way to say other things to let her know she was important to him.

Even though his words had failed him at times, he hadn't relied on them alone. As she continued reflecting on all the years they had known each other, she made a note of the many different ways he had taken care of her. From having her back in battle to sitting beside her and holding her hand so she could finally sleep at night, he had found more ways than she could have thought to show her that he loved her. Even before he had stopped speaking, he had always believed in actions more than words. Even though he couldn't speak the words, he had found a way to say them all the same.

She turned her eyes back to the sky above, finding a nearly forgotten sense of peace in the moment. They lay there, silently enjoying the moment until an unnatural rumbling roused her. She sat up quickly, looking around as she gripped the spear beside her.

Link had also gotten up, but rather than looking around for a nameless threat, he was opening the basket. He pulled out a plate filled with fish, taking one and sticking it in his mouth as he set the rest between them.

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly, "I'm pretty hungry."

Mipha giggled in response. It seemed that no matter what happened, some things would always stay the same.

* * *

Prince Sidon and the rest of the Zora Guard stood at the gates of the Domain, waiting apprehensively for the moon to rise. Kapson, the religious leader of the Zora, had informed him that morning that a Blood Moon would rise that night, bringing with it hordes of undead monsters.

The ever-present enthusiasm within him reminded him that they could be in a far worse situation than they were in. After the Domain's last major battle, He had possessed the foresight to have the corpses of the Lizalfo army disposed of. It had taken far longer than he had wanted it to, seeing as he had made certain that the bodies were nowhere near any Hylian settlements as well. While the Hylians were not his primary concern, he knew that his father, sister, and Link would be disappointed in him. They knew he was better than that and he was determined to make them all proud.

"Prince Sidon!" He turned to find Captain Bazz jogging towards him. "Everyone who won't be partaking in the fight has been secured in the Throne Room."

"Thank you, my friend! I have no doubt that you and the rest of the Brigade will do a marvelous job in defending them!" he replied as he gave the Zora guard a toothy grin.

"I was hoping to talk to you about that," Bazz replied. "I think we would be of more use here with you."

"Nonsense!" His smile faltered slightly as Bazz's face creased in consternation. "Remember, my friend, that one of the monsters we will fight are Lizalfo. If they use the river to get by us, then who will be there to defend our friends and family? I wish for someone I trust to be there just in case."

"As you wish," the Captain relented.

"Do not worry. I will not be fighting alone," Sidon reminded him.

Bazz nodded, looking slightly less morose as he saluted before diving into the river and swimming back towards the Domain.

As he turned back to the ranks that stood just behind him, he noticed how they all looked at him, almost unable to hide the fear they felt inside. He couldn't blame them for that as he was battling his own dread even as he grinned at all of them, flexing his arm as he did so. He was determined to smile for them no matter how he felt internally.

After the Champions had left, the Prince had devoted a sizable amount of time trying to remember his younger years, particularly how Link had fit into the picture. There was still very little he could recall of the Hylian Champion, but there was one memory that had come back clearly to him. One that had defined what Link represented to him.

He had been quite the little fool as a child, often getting himself into trouble in the pursuit of adventure. During one such occasion, he had happened across two Bokoblins. Had he been near water, it would have been a simple matter to escape. As it was, there wasn't a suitable body of water anywhere near him. The young Prince had been forced to run, tripping over his abnormally large tailfin a few times. No matter how hard he pushed himself, he could still hear the monsters gaining on him.

He was certain he was going to be captured when he saw someone leap in between him and the Bokoblins. He looked over his shoulder to find that Link had come to his rescue.

Up to that point, Sidon hadn't much cared for the Hylian. He had been fun to play with from time to time, but after Link had met his sister, Mipha had steadily gravitated towards him. It made Sidon jealous to see his sister finally opening up to someone after she had been growing distant from him for years. He had, on more than one occasion, told Link exactly what he thought of him, and it was far from kind.

Yet, there was Link, putting himself between the two bloodthirsty creatures and Sidon. In a panicked haze, the Prince had shouted something incoherent, but rather than shouting anything back, Link had flashed him a grin. Though Link had never been in an actual fight as far as Sidon could recall at that point, it hadn't stopped Link from giving him one of the most confident smiles he had ever seen.

The fight was a blur to the young Zora, but there was one detail that had stuck with him. Even during the worst of the fight, when Link was knocked down by a strike that he hadn't been able to dodge, the smile never faltered. In fact, it didn't disappear until the Prince was safely back in the Domain.

Later that night, Sidon had snuck into the infirmary and listened to his sister chastising the Hylian for his recklessness. He had felt a moment of kinship with Link as he was reminded of the lecture that he had received upon his return. As he continued listening, he learned that Link's injuries were far worse than he had originally thought. So much so that Mipha wasn't able to heal him entirely.

The Prince tossed and turned that night, trying to understand why Link had grinned. All of the heroes he had seen fight before always looked fierce, almost terrifying in the way their skin was pulled tight across their glares. Yet the Hylian's expression had been a far cry from the ferocity he would have expected. It also occurred to him that it was odd that Link had paid any attention to him at all. No matter how he turned the event over in his mind, he couldn't make any sense of it.

It wasn't until he had explained it to his father that he had finally received an answer. According to the King, Link hadn't been smiling for his own sake, but rather for Sidon's. By showing a confident grin, even through the worst, the Hylian had let Sidon believe that everything would be all right. After that, the Prince had decided that was the kind of leader he wanted to be. Someone who could smile even during the worst of times.

The site of the blood red moon rising over the surrounding hills pulled him out of the past. He felt his breath hitch slightly as the red circle came into full view. He reached for his sword, an unwavering smile on his face. He felt ill, but he wouldn't let it deter him. His people needed his boundless optimism, so he would keep smiling for them.

His hand abandoned his weapon as he covered his ears as an earsplitting roar tore through their surroundings. He looked up to find a blue dragon flying overhead. Waves of golden light flowed through the air, emanating from the dragon as she continued winding through the air.

"Naydra," he breathed. It wasn't his first time seeing the Dragon, but it had been a long time.

"What is it doing?" he heard one of the guards ask.

Sidon, remembering that all was not yet well, looked down, finding the path to the Domain as empty as it had been minutes prior. He bent over the cliff, scanning the river below for any signs of the monsters he had been expecting, but there were none to be found. "Keep watch!" he called as he sprinted back towards the Domain.

He rushed through the walkways, feeling water splash his legs as his feet kicked it up. Normally, he found the Domain to be calming at night; however, the red hue that covered it was almost suffocating. When he finally arrived at the throne room, he found things just as quiet as at the gates.

He looked up again, watching the Dragon's beautiful dance as the waves of light continued to emanate from her beginning to fill the sky above him. He began laughing as he remembered a story that he had heard as a child. When the Goddess had created their world, she had gifted three spirits, in the form of dragons, with the power to protect the land from dark influences. Now, above him was one of those beings.

Sidon looked down again, blinking in surprise at what he saw. The tainted red that had stifled the Domain was receding, as though something was slowly drawing it out. His grin returned, not at all forced as Naydra roared again, her call a statement of defiance against the darkness.

The Prince, feeling energized by what he had seen, rushed back to the gates. As he made his way through the Domain for the dozenth time that day, he took a moment to hope that his sister too was far from danger.

* * *

"You knew this would happen?" Teba asked as he and Kass stood atop the spire that the Rito Village hung on. Across the gorge that separated them from the rest of the Tabantha region, they could see Dinraal surrounded by a golden aura as he flew through the skies above.

"They told me that freeing Naydra had eliminated the threat of the Blood Moon in her territories," Kass answered idly. He was busy trying to determine the right tune while also formulating the lyrics to adequately describe the scene before him.

"But did you know?" Teba asked as he eyed the Bard.

"I had my suspicions."

"We refrained from cutting the bridge because you had a feeling?"

Kass couldn't blame his friend for being mildly upset. He did have a wife and son to protect, something that the Bard could empathize with greatly

"Now Teba, I'm sure we can agree that it will be nice to have a break from repairing the bridge," Kaneli chuckled as he lighted down next to them.

Teba huffed something under his breath before sighing audibly. "I suppose I could have cut the bridge regardless of what you said to me," he grumbled.

"Thank you for trusting me," Kass murmured.

"You haven't given me a reason not to… yet."

He chuckled at his friend's antics. Though Teba wouldn't admit it, he was thrilled to have been able to see his old Master again and it showed in his attitude. While he was normally cool and detached, he had started taking up a few of the Rito Champion's mannerisms over the last few days. It reminded Kass of a few incidents he was certain that Teba would rather everyone forgot.

"I have seen many wondrous things in my life, but nothing quite like this," Kaneli said, the awe in his voice nearly tangible.

"I suppose this is something," Teba muttered.

"Yes. It is quite wondrous to see Kass putting up with that spunk of yours," Kaneli agreed, chuckling slightly as Teba rounded on him.

"As ever, Master Kaneli, you are a real hoot," Kass chortled.

"Please stop."

Kaneli and Kass laughed as Teba glared at them both. After his mirth subsided, Kass turned to look South. While he was certain that she was safe in the company of the Champions, he couldn't help but worry about his sister. Medli was kind-hearted and quite intelligent when it came to written facts. Unfortunately, such intelligence would only get her so far in the dangerous situations she would be faced with while on the road with the Champions.

"I should be going," he said suddenly. Thinking of his sister had also made him think of his family. While he had managed to convince Amali that they would not be in any danger, he had noticed that she was still uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder what he was doing, watching Dinraal while his wife was likely worrying about their daughters. If he wanted to write a song about what he saw, the view from his home would have to do.

"Give Amali my regards," Kaneli replied, to which Teba agreed.

As he flew towards his house, he took a moment to pray that the Champions had possessed the sense to stay under Dinraal's protection and keep his sister well away from the dangers of the Blood Moon.

* * *

"I understand why they cut the bridge to the Village now!" Medli shouted as she did her best to keep up with the others.

"Now's not the best time!" Urbosa called as she rammed the remains of a Bokoblin with her shield. She found herself more annoyed than worried. They were close to the Gerudo Desert, close to taking back her Divine Beast, yet their progress was being stymied by an endless stream of undying monsters.

"Sorry!"

"Can we please focus?!" Revali followed up his request by releasing a bomb arrow into a group of skeletons.

"Sorry!"

"Medli, ya don't have to keep apologizin'!" Daruk was having the easiest time by far. His giant stone sword, combined with his strength could shatter the skeletal beings beyond recognition, and those that weren't shattered were tossed too far away to be a threat.

"Sorry!"

Urbosa, despite the danger they were in and her own frustrations, found it mildly humorous that Medli couldn't stop her stream of apologies. She had a feeling that to say anything would only prompt another bout of apologies.

"There!" Urbosa glanced briefly at Link, who was pointing towards a small opening in the cliffside ahead of them. They had begun a mad rush as soon as the moon had started to creep into the sky. While the Hyrule Ridge offered many nooks and crannies, it had nowhere near large enough for them to hole up in while waiting for the Blood Moon to pass. Their only option was to try and make it to the base of the Gerudo Highlands and search for a suitable shelter.

"Go!" Daruk ordered, causing the group to cut through the mass of bones in front of them in a desperate attempt to get to the cave. Even with their newfound strength and stamina, they wouldn't be able to survive an all-out battle against the undead. Things may have been different if the monsters would stay dead, but as it was, they would eventually succumb to the relentless swarm.

Without needing to be told, the five warriors surrounded Medli, keeping the Rito girl safe even as they rushed forward. Thankfully, Medli had the good sense to stay in the middle rather than giving in to terror and running blindly about.

As soon as they were in the welcoming embrace of the cave, Daruk turned on his heel sharply and swung the Boulder Breaker with all his might, throwing everything unfortunate enough to be in its path out of the cave and into the other corpses that scrambled to reach them. Link used those precious few seconds to summon a bomb and tossed towards the entrance. He detonated it as Daruk fell back, causing the wall above the opening to crack and come crashing down, cutting them off from the outside world.

Urbosa stood in the pitch blackness, catching her breath as the adrenaline in her system slowly disappeared. She heard someone rustling around for a few minutes before a fire sprang to life. Link straightened himself as the flames lit the caverns around them.

As soon as the Gerudo Champion's eyes adjusted, she did a quick head count, noticing that both Midna and Epona were gone. It didn't really surprise her as she had watched Link goad Epona back in the general direction of the Tabantha region. Midna had likely followed.

Revali was checking on Medli, who was holding up quite well, though Urbosa could see that she was visibly shaken. Oddly enough, Mipha looked to be in even worse shape than the Rito girl; however, Link was already tending to her.

It surprised her to see the Zora Champion in such a state. Her chest was heaving as she tried to catch her breath, even as Link murmured something to her and patted her on the back. If anything, she had been expecting Medli to be the one that was losing control.

"Hey, Little Guy!" Daruk called out from the front of the cave, "can you build me a fire over here?"

Link looked at the Goron for a moment before turning back to Mipha. He gave her one last uncertain glance before crossing the cave to join Daruk. Urbosa could see that the Zora Champion was not holding up well, especially without anything to keep her mind occupied.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly as she approached Mipha.

"This is my fault… I should have known…"

"How?"

Mipha looked at her uncomprehendingly.

"How would you have known?"

"I could feel something was off."

Urbosa frowned at the response. "Let me ask you something: if everyone here was shouting at you all at the same time, would you be able to hear anything that one of us was saying?"

"I suppose not," she answered after some thought. The Gerudo Champion could see that she didn't understand what she was trying to say.

"I know that something has been bothering you lately. Your healing abilities are limited, you barely sleep, and anytime Link is more than five steps away you become jumpy. It doesn't take a genius to see that something has been bothering you. Under those conditions, do you really think you can tell what's causing you to feel that way?"

She looked over her shoulder as the cave brightened more. Link had supplied Daruk with another fire and was now making his way back towards Mipha.

"We'll finish this later," she said as she set a hand on the Zora's shoulder. She turned away and made her way back to Daruk, who was walking around the perimeter of the cave-in slowly. She waited silently as he muttered to himself while stroking his beard.

"Yeah, I think thas' a good spot. Just gotta be careful how I do it," he said to himself.

"Careful with how you do what?"

"How I dig us outta here. If it was just me, I could smash my way out, but the falling rocks might kill ya."

"Is it that bad?" she asked as she looked at the heap of rocks in front of her.

"Yeah. The Little Guy did some pretty serious damage to the cave wall. Not to worry though! I can get us out of this!"

She personally couldn't make out any sensible escape route, but that didn't shock her. Daruk had likely spent years in the mines on Death Mountain. If anyone knew how to get them out without causing a collapse, it would be him. "So, what's the plan?"

"I'll have to dig a hole big enough for ya to crawl out, then, once ya'll are clear, I'll smash through."

"Won't that bring the cave down on you?"

"When you put it like that…"

"On the bright side, you would be surrounded by your favorite meal."

"Do you really have to make it worse?"

"I thought you enjoyed eating," Urbosa chuckled as the Goron Champion sighed.

"Yeah, but the thought of being killed by food is embarrasin.'"

Urbosa shook her head as she grinned at him. She could leave it to him to take something like that out of what she had said. She quieted down as Daruk turned back to his self-assigned task. While she knew he needed to concentrate, there was a pressing matter they needed to discuss; however, she wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

"I think," Daruk muttered as he began scratching his beard "that we should talk about Mipha."

The Gerudo Champion's eyes widened in surprise. It seemed that they shared the same concerns.

"I think we should consider sendin' her back home," he said.

"I can't say I disagree. She hasn't been herself lately. She struggles to heal, and she struggles to keep her composure."

"And she distracts the Little Guy. I'm worried that he won't be able to focus on what he needs to do if she's around."

She didn't like the fact that they had to discuss the possibility of sending Mipha away, but the Zora Champion was quickly becoming a liability. If she couldn't come out of the funk she was in, she would get herself killed, and possibly get others hurt in the process. It was an unpleasant, but necessary consideration. "When we get to –"

She was cut off as they heard a muffled shriek from the other side of the stone.

"Uh… what was that?" Daruk asked.

"Don't tell me that was –" Another shriek cut her off. "Link! Revali! Get over here!" the Gerudo Champion commanded as Daruk quickly began digging through the rubble.

"That was Farosh?" the Hylian Champion asked as he joined them.

"Don't know, but if it is…" She didn't finish, trusting that they knew what needed to be done.

"We can handle it," Revali said.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Farosh should be out of range from the ground."

"Take care of yerselves out there," Daruk rumbled as he moved one last stone, creating an opening just enough for them to crawl through. "If ya get in trouble, we won't be able to help ya."

Urbosa watched as the two Champions exchanged a glance, nodding to each other before turning their determined gazes back to her and Daruk. She was proud of how far they had come since the beginning of their journey.

With nothing left to say, Link and Revali left the cavern behind.

"Can you hold this?" Urbosa asked as she looked at Mipha. The Zora Princess was already starting to deteriorate.

"I got it," he replied.

Urbosa nodded, moving to uphold her role in the group.

* * *

"We'll use the same tactics that we used against Dinraal!" Revali called over his shoulder. "I'll get you in close, then you…" The Rito Champion didn't finish his sentence as he finally noticed Farosh. Unlike Naydra and Dinraal, he was not covered in the malice-born eyes. Instead, the iridescent tips of his scales shown with a deep purple hue instead of their natural green. The result was a sickening medley of purples and greens.

Without the eyes, Revali had no idea how they were going to purge the malice. He supposed they could try to cut Farosh himself, but the odds that Link would be able to cut through the Dragon's hide, even with the Master Sword, were astronomical.

The Rito Champion changed course, flying directly overhead the Dragon as opposed to beside it.

"Got any ideas?!" Revali shouted.

"Look!" He followed Link's finger to the nape of the Dragon's neck, where he saw an oily black mass bubbling.

Though there looked to be only one point of infection, Revali didn't feel confident in the slightest as he angled into a shallow dive. In fact, he felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he brought Link within range. The Hylian stabbed at the mass with the Master Sword, but before it could make contact, Malice exploded outwards, throwing them away.

Thankfully, Link pulled his arms in and pressed himself low against Revali's back, allowing the Rito more maneuverability. Once he regained control, he turned his attention back to the mass. It churned and boiled as Farosh screeched in pain. Both he and Link watched as a single, liquid black stalk with a large bulb on top erupted outwards. It swung towards them, eyelids peeling back to reveal a single eye.

"That's it?" Revali asked, feeling almost disappointed with himself for getting so worked up.

The large orb focused on him as though hearing his words. Two appendages extended from the sides of the eye like large wings. From below, he could just make out a mouth that opened wide as it screamed at them.

The Rito Champion pulled up sharply as the iris glowed green. He heard the clap of thunder as a bright green beam shot out of the eye, missing him by a few feet.

"You had to ask!?" Link shouted as another beam shot towards them.

"Let's just finish it!" Revali dove down, counting the seconds between each beam as he and Link began to catch up. He would have to have impeccable timing, or else he and Link would both be fried. After dodging another shot, he pulled alongside the eye, giving Link the opportunity to strike. The two wing-like appendages crossed in front of the eye as the Master Sword flashed towards it. It screamed in pain, snapping the structures open and striking Revali.

The Rito Champion was flung away as he twisted and turned, trying to regain control of his flight as Link tried to maintain his grip. Revali finally righted himself only to find that Farosh had used the opportunity to turn around and was now charging towards them.

"Fantastic," he grumbled before spiraling out of Farosh's path. If there was one thing he had learned during the three previous battles it was that the best way to avoid the Dragon's gaping maw was to remain as close as he could. He shot past Farosh's head, eyeing the eye that controlled the Guardian Spirit. "It's regenerating!" he snapped as watched the malice on the creature's body writhing, quickly growing out to replace what had been lost.

As soon as the monster caught sight of them, it began firing beams at them again.

'I've got an idea!" Link called as Revali dodged another attack "Get me on his back!"

"How will that help anything?!"

"Trust me!" Link replied as Revali felt him strap something to his back. He tilted his head back quickly to find the Hylian Shield strapped to his back. The Rito Champion cursed silently as he dropped Link off as close as he could to the eye. The less time he had to spend weaving back and forth, the better.

The massive eye turned its gaze towards Link as he began his precarious climb towards it. Revali took the shield and readied it as he saw the eye beginning to glow green. He dove down sharply, holding the shield in between himself and the blast. He grunted as he was knocked back, forced to fight for control again as the beam was deflected off the shield's surface.

He quickly righted himself as the eye screamed its frustration. It charged up another shot, forcing Revali to think quickly. As he dove down again, he covered as much of his body as he could with the shield as he began spinning as fast as he could. He felt something strike the shield, but, thanks to his momentum, he wasn't knocked back.

He came out of his spin to find Link almost on top of the eye. Before it had the chance to attack again, he pulled out his bow and began firing ice arrows as fast as he could. The eye screeched horribly as large, icy patches grew along its body. When it could barely move, he pulled out a bomb arrow and fired it at the base.

The creature collapsed, laying limp as its focus swiveled back to Link. Revali watched carefully but the creature made no attempt to move or fight back as Link closed the remaining distance between them. As the Hylian raised his blade, the Rito noticed a bright light on the Dragon's body. Everything slowed as he looked down and saw a luminescent glow emanating beneath Farosh's scales.

"Link, don't –"

The creature screamed, as though celebrating a triumph when Link's blade plunged into it. There was a bright flash followed by a deafening crack as Farosh jerked violently.

Revali's eyes darted around, looking for any sign of the Hylian as Farosh flew away, writhing in pain silently as a sharp ringing clouded Revali's hearing. The seconds stretched on into eternity as he searched desperately for the Hylian Champion, finally catching sight of him as he fell belly up towards the ground.

Revali slammed his wings into his side as he dove down towards his companion. He grit his beak tightly as he realized that he had no way to secure the Hylian safely, meaning that once he caught Link he would have little to no control of his flight.

With no other option, he wrapped one wing around the Hylian as he braced himself for the inevitable crash that awaited them. He either could let Link fall, or he could do his best to slow them both down and hope that they would both survive.

He flapped as hard as he could, throwing as much power into it as he could like he was trying to create a gale. To his surprise, he slowed their fall considerably, though his vision still swam sickeningly as he slammed into the ground. Even with a thick layer of snow covering the ground, their landing knocked the wind out him.

He was glad they had fallen on the Plateaus as opposed to the lower ground.

He lay on the ground, coughing violently and resisting the urge to empty his stomach as he rolled over and crawled to the unconscious Hylian. He grimaced as he looked at his fellow Champion. Link was covered head to toe in small burns, except for his right arm, which was a blackened, mangle of a limb.

Though Revali had never been jealous of Mipha, he found himself wishing that he had been gifted with her powers as he dug through Link's pouch quickly, pulling out a bottle filled with a red potion. He bit the cork and ripped it out, dumping the contents into Link's mouth as he held it open. He tossed the bottle aside and reached for another.

Had the Rito Champion been paying closer attention, he would have noticed that the Master Sword had disappeared. Had he been paying more attention, he would have noticed the figures that had surrounded him and the Hylian Champion. He would have noticed as they closed in. As it was, he didn't notice until a pair of boots entered his field of view.

He grabbed an arrow and looked up quickly, just in time for a foot to smash into his face, causing his head to snap back as Darkness overwhelmed him.


	37. Into the Desert

Urbosa peered through the hole, watching as the corpses that had been milling around slowed as they disintegrated piece by piece. Eventually, she motioned for Mipha and Medli to follow after her as the remnants of the deceased slowed to a near stop.

The Gerudo Champion straightened herself, eyeing the sky overhead as the two crawled out after her. The moon had returned to its natural color, but Link, Revali, and Farosh were nowhere to be found.

"Where is Link?" Mipha asked as she looked around. "W-where is he?" she asked again as her voice shook slightly.

Medli remained uncharacteristically silent as her eyes fell.

"We need to move," Urbosa murmured as she set a hand on both girls' shoulders and led them away from the entrance to the cave. When she had gotten them a safe distance away, she called out to Daruk, who busted through the stone-covered entrance a few seconds later.

"Ha! I knew you two coul –"

He stopped as Urbosa shook her head sharply. He frowned, asking a question with his eyes that she didn't have the answer to. She could see that he was beginning to understand the situation as his eyes grew cloudy.

"We shouldn't stay here," Daruk mumbled as he began scratching at his beard. "We should… we should get movin.'"

"We can't just leave them!"

Urbosa set a hand on the Zora Champion's shoulder, trying her best to comfort the distraught Zora.

"We should go to Kara Kara Bazaar," Medli stated thoughtfully.

"The Kara Kara what now?" Daruk asked.

"The Kara Kara Bazaar. Once we hit the actual Desert, it's the only stop on the way to Gerudo Town. Not only that, since men aren't allowed in Gerudo Town, it would be the only place that – "

For once, Urbosa didn't tune the Rito girl out. A few times, Medli began to wander off into the realms of history or trade, but with some careful steering, she would get back to focusing on the relevant details. The Bazaar not only had an Inn, but it also had several shops where they would be able to restock their supplies. There was also an oasis, making it the perfect place for people to wait, particularly a Zora who required an ample water supply. The Rito girl also made a point to describe the high foot traffic, increasing the likelihood that they would either be able to find Link and Revali or find someone who may know something.

" – Mipha and I could wait there while you and Daruk go on ahead."

The Gerudo Champion exchanged a glance with Daruk. She could see that he wanted to stay, but she knew they needed to keep moving. Even if moving forward didn't help them find the other two, it would only be a detriment. The two younger ones especially were in need of something to distract them. They were engaged in a silent debate until they noticed that Mipha was shifting around restlessly while mumbling nervously as she glanced all around. Seeing the Zora Champion in that state hastened their decision.

"Kara Kara Bazaar it is," Daruk stated firmly. Urbosa could see that he still had reservations, but he kept them to himself as he gingerly began herding Mipha and Medli onwards. Following behind, Urbosa, kept her eyes and ears trained for any sign of the two missing Champions. While she admired Medli's optimism, she was as painfully aware as Mipha was that it was unlikely that they had come out of their confrontation with Farosh unscathed. Even so, so long as they were capable of moving, they would have found some way back. They were either so injured that they had been forced to take shelter, they were injured, or…

"Lady Urbosa, may I speak with you for a moment?" Medli's voice was on the verge of a whisper, but it was still enough to pull Urbosa out of her reverie.

"What is it?"

"I was thinking about something I read once," Medli began carefully as she began fidgeting nervously. "For a long time, there was speculation as to where exactly the Yiga have been hiding –"

"You think they were taken by the Yiga?" Urbosa asked sharply.

"Well… maybe," she trailed off uncomfortably. "There have been some theories that they've taken refuge in the Gerudo Highlands."

"I see," the Gerudo replied thoughtfully. She had to admit that it was a feasible explanation for their disappearance. The Clan had appeared before the battle with Naydra and during their fight with Dinraal, so it wasn't entirely out of the question. "So, why have they never been found."

"Well, you did find their first hideout and destroyed it, and nearly wiped them out entirely back before the Great Calamity. After that, they disappeared for a long time. After the Calamity, I think everyone was so caught up in trying to survive that they largely forgot about the Yiga altogether."

"I destroyed their first hideout?"

"Yes. I always thought that was odd whenever I would read about it."

"And why's that," Urbosa asked absently as she began to lose focus on the conversation.

"Well, before that, you didn't seem to think much of them. Then one day, you declared war on them for a reason that none could ever quite explain. Even though you attacked with a significant number of the Gerudo's forces, you did most of the fighting with your blade and lightning. I think that is a part of how your ability earned its name. Urbosa's fury…" she said thoughtfully.

Urbosa hooked her finger on her chin as she considered what Medli had said. Thinking back now, she couldn't fathom allowing the Clan to continue as it had been. Though they had few run-ins with them, it was still risking too much to leave them be.

As the Champions continued, they found the path that cut through the Highlands. It was a narrow path, surrounded on both sides by enormous walls made of limestone. Though she didn't have reason to, Urbosa still eyed the cliffs overhead, looking for any potential threats.

She spared Mipha another glance when she was sure that they weren't currently in danger. The Zora Champion was walking forward mechanically, as though her body was moving of its own accord. Apparently, she was so unaware of her surroundings that Daruk had been forced to set a hand on her back and was gently guiding her along the path.

And Mipha wasn't the only one that was struggling.

Though Medli tried to appear as though she was keeping it together, Urbosa could see the cracks starting to show. The way she kept wiping at her eyes, startling and looking at every noise with a mixture of fear and hope followed by an uncertainty of what to feel when no threats presented themselves.

The Gerudo wished that Midna was with them. With the Wolf's keen senses, she would be able to better take care of her two younger companions.

Eventually, as they continued along in the oppressive silence, they came across a stable.

"We need rest," Daruk muttered as he reangled himself and Mipha towards the building.

As eager as she was to continue on the road, Urbosa had to agree. It would not do them any good to continue on in the state they were in. The Goron Champion herded them into the Stable and quickly requested two rooms.

The Gerudo frowned as she looked into her wallet. While they had been looking far enough ahead to separate their funds, Link held the vast majority of them. His bartering skills, natural fiscal sense, and his habit of performing odd jobs as time allowed had given him the chance to build up a substantial nest egg. He had been able to afford to pay for all of their lodgings without putting much of a dent into his saving. Without him there, they would have to ration their money much more carefully.

After she paid for their room, she guided Mipha and Medli up the stairs and made sure that Mipha was laying down. "Keep an eye on her," Urbosa murmured to the Rito girl, receiving a nod before she left them to rejoin Daruk.

"What're we gonna do?" the Goron asked as she sat next to him and ordered a drink.

"We'll have to go with Medli's plan," she answered as she lifted her mug and drained it. "You and Mipha should stay in the Bazaar while Medli and I go on ahead to the Town."

"You and Medli? Ya sure that's the best idea?"

"My other option is to go on ahead by myself."

"We could all go."

"But then who would be there to wait for Link and Revali?" Urbosa asked.

"I know, but we can leave Mipha and Medli in the Bazaar."

"Right now, Mipha is in no condition to protect anyone," Urbosa replied. "If something were to happen, Medli would not only have to keep herself safe but Mipha as well."

"That's a good point," Daruk sighed.

"There's something else you aren't considering," Urbosa continued as she traced the rim of her mug with a finger.

"And what's that?"

"You still have a promise to keep."

"I know, that's why I want to find the Little Guy as fast as –"

"That's not what I meant," Urbosa interrupted calmly. As much as she admired Daruk's commitment to keeping his promise, he was far too narrow-minded about what it truly meant. "If you truly mean to keep your vow, then there is someone else you have to look after as well."

"Whaddya mean?"

"I mean Mipha," Urbosa answered with a pointed look. "Whether you've seen it or not, she is becoming a part of Link. If you really mean to look after him, then you have to start looking after her as well."

Daruk leaned back and scratched at his beard thoughtfully for a minute. "… That makes sense," he decided.

"Does it?" she asked with interest. She was surprised that there was even a possibility that he was thinking along the same lines that she was.

"Henry, Link's ol' man, was just as worried about Ellen as he was Link. I only saw them together a few times, but I saw the way he looked at Ellen. Sometimes, I see that same look on the Little Guy's face when he doesn't think anyone's watching."

"Has anybody ever told you that you sound like a creep?" she asked playfully.

"Are we ever gonna have a conversation that doesn't involve you makin' fun of me?"

"Probably not."

"Figures," he sighed. "Well," he said as he took to his feet, "I'm gonna turn in. We've got a long day tomorrow."

"Night," Urbosa replied as the Goron Champion ambled away. She continued to sit, nursing her drink as she considered the road ahead. She would finally be returning home, but she couldn't afford to slow down and enjoy her homecoming. She would have to keep pushing on because deep down she could feel their time steadily ticking away.

* * *

Midna stirred as the first light of dawn poked its way through her eyelids. Her mouth opened wide and her tongue lolled out as she yawned. The wolf cracked a single eye open and found Runner lying against her. She rolled her eyes as she looked at one of the newest members of the pack.

Between Runner and Cub, she was quickly losing patience.

Cub spoke way too often and for way too long. While it wasn't necessarily a problem, it did grate on the wolf's nerves. It was the endless tireless noise of it that bothered her more than anything. Still, though, she didn't blame the others for keeping Cub around. Even the wolf could see that she was important to Chicken, and he had become much more tolerable since she had come around.

What she really couldn't understand was Runner. Why had the others brought her around? Most two-legs used her kind for riding around on, yet none of them used her for that. All she did was walk around and nibble at the grass.

And that was when she wasn't busy trying to show Midna affection.

When she had first joined, Runner would eye her nervously, looking ready to flee at a moment's notice. That had lasted for all of a few sunrises. She quickly lost any fear she had of the wolf and after that, she had even started showing the wolf the same affection she did everyone else.

It was irritating.

She got to her feet and looked back the way they had come the night before. She whirled around and snapped at Runner as the stupid creature nudged her hindquarters. Runner danced back but made no show of fear.

Midna growled before she turned back and began paddling towards the rocks that touched the sky. She looked back and found Runner picking at the sparse grass that covered the ground. A simple bark was all it took to get her attention. Once Midna had her attention she motioned with her head and together, they set off to rejoin the rest of their pack.

* * *

"Sa'oten vehvi!"

Muava felt a smile tugging at her lips as she watched a woman begin reprimanding her child for trying to sneak into the sand seal corral that belonged to the rental service. The proprietors had started the business to help people traverse the desert more easily. All one had to do was use a belt, rope, or some other form of attachment to bind themselves to the creature while standing on a makeshift platform, usually shields.

Unlike most sand seals, the ones belonging to the rental service were quite tame. They didn't spook easily and were often quite social. Of course, if you did manage to spook them, they could be quite dangerous because of how they flailed when trying to flee a potential threat.

Despite their docile nature, it was dangerous for a child to sneak into their pen. She approved.

Her smile didn't waver, even as the mother and daughter passed by, not even sparing a glance for her or the statue she sat next to.

Being ignored was nothing new to her. The youth of the world were so busy living their lives that they often forgot about the older, less able in the community. While many of her peers had turned to opening shops or making a ruckus over nothing to keep themselves in touch with the rest of the world, Muava had never felt the need to do so. Youth was meant for adventures. For making mistakes. For living, not for being tied down to those who had already spent their youth.

She supposed that her view may have something to do with why she was ostracized. They had no time for her, just like they had no time to stop and pray at the statue. Faith and prayer took time, and people were far too busy for that.

There had been a time where she wouldn't have given the Goddess a passing thought either. She was too busy trying to find the love of her life, a companion to walk through life with her. She found some humor in the irony that now the Goddess was her only companion.

Most probably thought she was insane, sitting by a statue in a back-alley all day. And when, on the rare occasion, she was asked why she sat next to the statue, her reply was that someone needed to keep her company. She supposed they thought she meant the statue literally when in reality, she meant the Goddess herself.

She had spent years wallowing in loneliness, looking for a friend to spend the days with. One day, she had passed the weathered statue. Though it was merely a work of stone, the dirt caked, expressionless face looked so sad and forlorn, much as she had felt.

Even years later, Muava wasn't sure what had compelled her to crouch down in front of the statue and wipe away the grime that covered it. After she was done, she took a long look at the statue. Even with all the muck gone, it was still in a sorry state. Taking pity on it again, she used much of what was left of her money to have it restored.

There were very few, if any, that understood her reasoning. If an ordinary person could feel lonely, then how much lonelier would someone like Hylia feel, especially when so few made time for Her. Muava was only one person, but she took pride in the knowledge that she was fine company.

People argued that it was only a statue, and she readily agreed. What they didn't understand was that it was a representation of the Goddess. A reminder that she was present among them. While she didn't think that Hylia was any more present within the statue than she was the rest of the town, Muava still sat by it, trusting the thought to count.

She looked up as the sun began to rise over the horizon. She had always been fascinated by the range of colors that no one could quite capture in a painting. "Beautiful," she hummed approvingly as she watched the ranges of reds, oranges, yellows, and even hints of blue that bled across the sky.

"Indeed."

Muava's eyes flicked to her right, finding that the statue had again been replaced by a short woman in a white gown, covered by a long cloak. In her lap, she held a sword with a deep purple hilt that had a crisscrossing green ribbon wrapped around. Underneath it was a shield with matching emblems. The blade itself rested in a sheath with gold ornamentation. While this wasn't the first time she had seen the woman, it was the first time she had come with an object.

"I knew that you and your kin would find joy in sights such as this."

"It would be hard not to," Muava responded. "So, what's with the weapons? Looking to take up a new hobby?" she asked slyly

"I think that maintaining the various worlds will do for now," Hylia chuckled. "As for this," she continued as she held up the sword and shield, "I need you to deliver these to someone for me."

"The all-powerful Goddess needs a favor of me?" she asked with mock surprise. In truth, this was far from the first time that the Goddess had asked her to deliver something, or pass along a message, or some other task that she never quite knew the meaning of. She was well aware that there were others capable of the task, but she didn't mind. It usually came with the opportunity to speak with those who would typically ignore her.

"What other purpose would you serve?"

"And here I was, hoping for something more in this life."

"You children, always wanting what is not yours and never appreciating what you have," Hylia sighed.

Both She and Muava chuckled as the Gerudo took the blade and glanced over it with an appraising eye. "This is a holy weapon," she muttered as she set it across her legs. While the shield was nothing to scoff at either, it was the sword that truly impressed her.

"It is. Its chosen wielder is unable to defend it right now. While it may kill any who draw it with malicious intent, it will not prevent them from moving it when it is sheathed."

"What's preventing him from retrieving it himself." Her only goal with the question was to satisfy the nugget of curiosity that had placed itself firmly at the forefront of her mind.

"A friend of mine will attack the enemy stronghold. He is… not quite in the right state of mind currently and he has a habit of being unduly reckless. If I had not retrieved this weapon, it would have taken years to recover from the rubble."

"Your friend wouldn't happen to be this 'Pit' I keep hearing about, would he?"

"No," Hylia replied with a small smile.

"That's a shame. I was hoping to finally meet the little choir boy."

"In time." The Goddess took to her feet and dusted herself off. "Well, I should be on my way. I look forward to our next conversation."

Muava nodded her agreement before turning away. For whatever reason, watching Hylia disappear didn't agree with her and it would cause her head to spin and ache for a while afterward. Instead, she leaned back and closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable meeting to come.

* * *

Medli looked around with interest, despite how little there was to see. Coming out of the pass had been akin to entering an entirely different world. The earth was covered by an endless expanse of sand that reflected the sun's golden hue. The arid landscape was dotted with a few specks of green and the dark brown tones of the Gerudo who traversed the trail as well.

The Rito girl eyed Mipha as they continued towards the Bazaar. She couldn't tell if the Zora Champion's unsteady steps were a result of the heat, exhaustion, or if she was still reeling from the disappearance of Link and Revali. Medli couldn't blame her for any of it really. She too was exhausted as they had only a few hours rest before Urbosa had roused them, intent on getting their journey started before the desert's heat became too much.

Even though her feathers were white, Medli was still uncomfortably warm. She couldn't even imagine what Mipha was experiencing, let alone Urbosa, who had thrown a dark brown cloak over herself as they left. Despite that, the Gerudo Champion was the only one who wasn't fazed by some aspect of their environment. Mipha and Medli were struggling with the heat, and Daruk was struggling with keeping his footing in the sand.

Though the Goron's grumblings about needing proper roads might have elicited a few giggles from her and Mipha under normal circumstances, neither one of them found much humor right then. Even Urbosa remained uncharacteristically silent as they pressed onwards. It was disheartening to see the normally jovial, and slightly boisterous group, so dispirited.

Her eyes snapped back to Urbosa as the Gerudo handed her a leather-skin satchel that held their water. She took a small drink before attempting to hand it to Mipha. The Zora Champion didn't seem to be aware of anything that was going on around her. Before Medli could get her attention, Urbosa took the skin back and dumped some of its contents on Mipha's head. The Zora jerked violently, looking around for the source of the disturbance.

"Drink," Urbosa commanded as she handed the skin back to Mipha. The Zora Champion stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment before she drank from it. "All of it," Urbosa stated as Mipha tried to hand it back.

"But –"

"We're about an hour away from the Bazaar," the Gerudo interrupted. "We'll be just fine."

Mipha gazed at the woman uncertainly, but Urbosa's expression left no room for argument. The Zora hesitantly obliged, draining the rest of what little water remained.

The journey was only made more miserable as they continued on. Even though they had left early in the morning to avoid traveling in the worst of the heat, the temperature was still rising fast. It wouldn't be long before it became dangerously hot. She knew that there were elixirs that would help to keep the user cool, but she didn't know how to make them.

She sincerely wished that she had devoted more time to studying elixirs.

As they continued for what felt like an eternity, the Rito girl began to wonder whether or not the oasis she was wandering towards was actually growing closer, or if it was just a figment of her imagination.

When she finally stumbled into the Bazaar and up to the oasis, she fell to her knees and stuck her hands into the cool water. After verifying that it was real, she leaned down and stuck her beak in the pool, not really caring about how undignified the action was. She was so focused on sating her thirst that she didn't even notice that Mipha had collapsed into the water.

Medli wiped away the water that dripped from her beak as she sat back, finally becoming mildly self-conscious. The Rito girl looked around quickly, but no one was paying her any mind except Daruk and Urbosa.

"Ya feelin' better?" the Goron Champion asked as he sat down.

"A little… it's still hot though."

"We managed to avoid the worst of the heat," Urbosa muttered, sounding almost disgruntled. "Medli and I will wait until tonight to continue on."

"Think ya can handle that?" Daruk asked as he looked back at Medli, glancing at her concernedly.

"I think so," she replied thoughtfully. The Desert cooled at night, far below what was safe for most other races, but her feathers would trap in her body heat while also staving off the cold. She thought she would likely make it through in better shape than she had made it through the heat. Then again, she had also assumed that the white of her feathers would allow her to walk through the heat comfortably, and she had been wrong on that account.

"Good. We should get rest while we can," Urbosa stated, turning towards a large stone building that Medli could only assume was the inn.

"I'll stay here with Mipha," Daruk replied as the Gerudo and Rito began to make their way around the body of water.

It was cooler once they made it into the building, but Medli was too tired to appreciate it. She watched dully as Urbosa paid for two beds. When she finally reached her bed, she collapsed onto it and immediately fell into a dreamless sleep.

She groaned as she was being shaken awake after what felt like a few short minutes later. She sat up and looked around blearily as the Gerudo Champion drew the hood of her cloak over her head. Medli got to her feet unwillingly, wishing that she could lay back down.

The Rito girl noticed that the sun was still up when they made it outside, something that made her sigh again. She had known there would be some difficulty when it came to adapting to the harsher conditions of traveling as she had led a fairly easy life. The vast majority of her hardships had been emotional as opposed to physical, so she was ill-prepared to handle the strains of constant walking, changes in sleeping schedules, and the fighting. She hadn't been prepared for things to be so hard, but Medli was far from ready to call it quits. She had been waiting for years for an opportunity to travel outside the Village and this was her best chance.

Reminding herself that this was a chance to see more of the world, Medli quashed her complaints as Urbosa led her out of the Village and deeper into the Desert.

* * *

Revali's eyes opened slowly to reveal a jagged stone ceiling above him. He frowned, trying to remember if he and the others had really spent the night in a cave. His head was screaming that something was wrong, but he couldn't decipher anything through all the noise in his head. It took him far too long to notice the first of the problems that concerned him.

Every morning, when he woke up, there were two distinct sounds he would hear. The first was the quiet rustling of Link cleaning up their campsite, and the sleep-addled mumblings of Medli. Right then, he heard neither.

He sat up but instantly regretted the action as a splitting headache assaulted him, knocking him back down for a moment. Through the din of the pounding that continually coursed through his head, he could feel an uncomfortable warmth in his right eye. He touched the spot gingerly with a wing and grimaced as he felt the swelling under his fingertips.

As he lay there, sights and sounds began playing in his mind. He remembered fighting Farosh, Link suffering a severe injury, and someone kicking him in the face. At least he had an explanation as to why his head hurt.

When the pain in his head had reduced adequately, he forced himself up, wincing at the various creaks and twinges that traveled along his body. He looked around slowly, worrying that to do so quickly would cause the room to spin.

He found Link quickly. The Hylian was lying on the only cot in the room, and next to him, eyeing the Rito with a critical eye was a Gerudo.

He glared at her as he began edging towards the Hylian Champion as he kept his gaze trained on the woman. He could feel his ire rising as she grinned at him. "I don't bite," she promised coyly. "In fact, I patched your friend up for you."

Setting aside his misgivings, Revali crossed the remaining distance to check on his companion. He set a feathered hand on the Hylian's forehead, noting how flushed Link's face was even before he registered the warmth. He wasn't an expert, but he figured that even a low fever like the one Link had could be dangerous after a prolonged period of time. Next, he checked the bandages. They were nothing special, just a few dirty rags that were bound around his blackened arm tightly. "What? Don't trust me to bind a wound properly?"

"No," Revali replied gruffly as he eyed the other scrapes on the Hylian's body.

"Fair enough," she replied evenly. "The name's Barta, by the way."

"Revali," the Rito replied absently as he set his wings under Link's side and lifted gently. He huffed in frustration as he noticed the satchel that normally hung off Link's belt had disappeared.

"Revali? I think I've heard that name somewhere before… Well no matter," she sighed as she stood and crouched by the cot. A small scraping grated on his nerves.

"Can you stop that!" he snapped.

"Quiet!" she hissed back, dropping her almost flirtatious pretense as she leaped back from where she had been. She held up a hand as she tilted her head as though listening.

"Will you just tel –"

Barta cut him off with a sharp wave of her hand. After a few more seconds of silence, she moved back to the cot and knelt back down. "They have guards posted at irregular intervals," she muttered with disgust as the scraping stopped. "I honestly don't understand how we haven't already destroyed the Clan."

Revali sent a glance towards the entrance of the "room" they were in. It wasn't until he noticed the gate blocking off their exit that the situation he was in finally dawned on him.

"The Yiga have us imprisoned!" he spat.

"Wow… did you put that together yourself?" Barta asked drily as she held up Link's satchel.

"How did you-"

"These idiots are amateurs," she grumbled. "They brought you in here without removing your gear first. It was a simple matter to distract them and slip this off your friend."

"If they're such amateurs, what are you still doing in here?" Revali grumbled, still annoyed by her last comment.

"I was planning to make my escape, but they brought you two in before I could make my move. Voe," she sighed, "always needing us Vai to save them."

"Whatever." Revali distracted himself from his irritation by pulling out as many red potions as he could find. He growled out a curse as he only saw three. He uncorked one and poured it down Link's throat, watching as the Hylian's labored breathing eased slightly. He was about to use another when he thought better of it.

"How deep are we in their… fortress?" he asked.

"We're close to the entrance," she answered, "but we need to play our cards carefully."

"Yeah," he replied. If Link were conscious, their situation would be different. As it was, one of them would have to carry the Hylian while the other would have to do their best to fend off any potential threats. Even though he could tell he was capable of fighting, he was nowhere near healthy enough to continue on for prolonged periods of time. Barta also looked to have seen better days.

"What all do you have in that thing?"

Revali turned the pouch over and dumped its contents on the floor. There were several bundles of different arrow types, a variety of foods, potions, and a number of weapons. The Rito Champion began formulating a plan when Barta's voice distracted him.

"Are you two associated with the Sheikah?"

Revali glanced up to find her holding the Sheikah Slate. "Where did you get that?"

"It was in there," she shrugged as she gestured to the satchel.

Revali smirked as he took the Slate and peered into its face. Link must have stuck it into the satchel before they flew up to fight Farosh. It was a smart move seeing as the Slate would have had a very limited use during the fight.

"I'm assuming that thing is important."

"Yep," he answered quickly as he heard movement from somewhere not far away. Motioning to Barta quickly, they shoved everything back into the satchel and tossed it back into hiding.

No one passed by to check on them, but both Gerudo and Rito were relieved to have the items hidden away. When they no longer heard the padding of feet on the stone floor, they relaxed and exchanged a glance.

"So, what's the plan?" Revali asked as Barta sat across from him.

"What makes you think I have a plan?" she asked. Much to his irritation, her flirtatious attitude was starting to crop back up.

"You know this place better than I do," he replied tightly as he wondered if all of the women of the Gerudo were as insufferable as Urbosa.

"Well, now that you mention it…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why does going to a four-year school make me want to cry?


	38. The Gerudo Chief

"That's your plan?" Revali hissed when Barta had finished explaining her idea. "You want to use bananas to distract them. That's just –"

"Asinine," Barta finished, "you mentioned that already."

"I'm _sorry._ I'm just worried that you don't understand how ridiculous you sound."

"What happened to 'you know this place better than I do?'"

"That was before your _brilliant_ plan hinged on _bananas_!"

"Do you have any idea how I snatched that pouch of yours from them?" she asked with a pointed look.

"There's no way…"

"I threw a banana that I had stowed away. They were tripping over each other just to get to it."

Revali narrowed his eyes, looking for the slightest indication that she was pulling his leg, but he found none. He wasn't sure how long she had been imprisoned, but he suspected that it had been long enough for her to start losing her grip on reality.

"So," he started as he began rubbing his eyes with his fingertips, "your grand plan is to wait for another… shipment, during which we will steal bananas, which we will then use… to escape," the Rito Champion finished. "Does that about cover it?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

"This is ridiculous," he sighed as he sat back ungracefully.

"Oh, you're a pouter?"

"Don't start," he grumbled. He had quickly grown tired of her teasing nature. It reminded him of the way Urbosa talked to him, which annoyed him for some reason that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

"You're no fun, you know that?"

He glared at the Gerudo woman again, but she only returned it with a grin. With nothing more to say, he turned his attention back to the Hylian Champion. Link's face was twisted into an unpleasant grimace as his eyes moved restlessly beneath their lids. He hated to admit, even to himself, but seeing Link in such a state was unnerving. The Hylian had often seemed too stubborn to be kept down by injuries.

The fact that there weren't any improvements in Link's condition, outside of his face losing some of it's flush, further disturbed the Rito Champion. He had given Link at least three healing potions, and still, his condition continued to steadily degrade.

He pushed his thoughts away with a huff. It wasn't going to do anyone any good to sit and mope.

"Do you have any stamina potions?" Barta asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he sighed as he turned back to find her glancing down the hall.

"Just answer the –"

"Yes."

"Give him one," Barta commanded as she kept watch for any unwelcome visitors.

"How will that help?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, not tearing her gaze away. "It was just a trick I learned while training with the Guard."

Revali bit back a retort. While he questioned Barta's sanity, he couldn't deny that she had already proven herself by saving most of their supplies. He supposed it couldn't hurt anything to try it. He had no training in medicine, but he couldn't come up with any reason that the potion could do any more damage.

He dug the pouch out as Barta kept watch and dug around, finally pulling out the green potion. He dumped the contents of the bottle down Link's throat. Even with two health potions and more stamina potions, he knew he still needed to get the Hylian to Mipha quickly. He didn't know how long he had left, or if getting him to her sooner would increase the likelihood of a full recovery. At the very least, it increased his odds of survival.

"He must be a close friend," the Gerudo commented.

"No," Revali replied tightly. He wasn't in the mood to listen as someone else tried to piece together his relationships. "He's a rival and I can't surpass him if he's dead."

"So, a best friend then?"

"Were you listening to a word I just said?"

"Yep. You sound like one of those people who doesn't want everyone to know that you care."

"I am not," he sniffed.

"That's what they all say."

"I am not- "

"Then why spend so much time worrying over him?"

"Like I said, he's a rival."

"Oh, I believe that, but most people don't worry by their rival's bedside."

Revali glared at her before stalking to the other side of the room.

"Sensitive, are we?"

"Will you be quiet!?" he snapped.

"Oh, but you're so much fun," she replied. "I've been so bored these past few…" she trailed off as she tried to remember how long she had been imprisoned.

As annoyed as he was with her, he had to admit that it was good that she was there. If he had it his way, he would have used the bomb rune on the Slate to blast his way out of the cell. Considering the noise that would have generated, it was unlikely he would have lasted long. In fact, he likely wouldn't have had any supplies to begin with.

"So, how did you get captured?" he finally asked as he folded his wings.

"… I don't want to talk about it," she muttered.

Revali narrowed his eyes as a smirk stretched across his face. "Feeling sensitive, are we?"

"Oh, I hate you."

His smirk didn't falter. He had spent enough time around the Gerudo Champion to know when he was broaching something of a sore subject. He considered pressing further; however, he also didn't like the idea of alienating her, so he let it go.

He tried to occupy himself with various thoughts, but eventually, he gave into his restlessness and began pacing back and forth across the small cell.

"You don't do well with waiting."

"No," he grumbled.

"Well, luckily for you, they bring in… shipments often."

"Fantastic," he replied caustically. It didn't matter how often they brought in their favorite delicacy because they weren't currently doing so. He hated sitting around and waiting when there were other things that needed to be done.

"Well, if all else fails, my sisters should be here soon."

"What?" he asked as he stopped and rounded on her.

"I was sent ahead to scout out possible hideouts," she replied as though that were the most obvious thing. Unfortunately for her, there were several things that weren't explained.

"Why?"

"They stole a relic from the chieftain, one that we need for the Divine Beast, I'm assuming you know –"

"Yes," he interrupted impatiently.

"Right. Well, we need to recover the relic to help us drive away the Divine Beast."

"And how do they know where we are?"

"They don't know exactly," Barta sighed. "Teake, our Captain, sectioned off potential locations. It's only a matter of time before they come looking themselves."

"Good," Revali muttered. He didn't like the idea of being rescued, but he found that to be a much more likely outcome than relying on bananas. "When should they be here?"

"Uh… I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I'm… really bad with directions," answered defensively.

Revali walked to the nearest wall and banged his head into it, exacerbating his headache. If she was terrible with directions, there was a good chance she hadn't even made it to the area she was supposed to search, meaning her fellow guards wouldn't even be searching the right area.

The Rito Champion made a vow that if he made it out of the ridiculous situation he found himself in, he would never complain about Urbosa again.

* * *

"Sav'saaba!" Medli greeted excitedly as she and Urbosa approached the guards that stood at the gates of Gerudo Town. Despite the stressors she had been grappling with over the past day, a part of her was thrilled that she was finally getting to use the Gerudo's traditional evening greeting.

The broken language had been the first one that she had studied, and she found it fascinating. It had once been a full-fledged language with its own rules and syntax, which had grown more complex after they had been exiled from Hyrule thousands of years before her time. When they came back, the general populace had taken great pains to relearn the language that was generally spoken in the kingdom. It was a sign of respect, as well as a product of their reliance on the men of other races seeing as men were rarely born to the Gerudo.

As a result of their insistence on learning the language, their traditional language began to fade away until it had all but been forgotten. The thing that fascinated her about it was that bits and pieces of the language had been so ingrained into the culture that they survived. Even more interesting, the Gerudo had then combined the Hyrulean language with the surviving fragments of their own, making a dialect that was unique to them.

The two guardswomen responded, sharing a surprised look between them. "Strange that a Rito vai knows which greeting to use," one murmured quietly.

"Oh yes. I know that it's considered a sign of respect to learn the language of the land you're visiting," Medli explained as she placed her fingertips together.

She watched, utterly lost as the two guards exchanged another glance. One started to grin mischievously; however, her partner shook her head with a small frown. The former shrugged before turning back to address them.

"Your hood. Pull it back." To Medli's surprise, Urbosa obliged with no argument, pulling her hood back to show her face. "Welcome home, sister," the guard stated simply as they both moved aside, allowing the two access to the town.

The Rito girl passed through the gate, looking around in wonder as she finally laid eyes on Gerudo Town. Despite how late it was, women were out wandering through the various shops that lined the main road. A few of the shops were little more than wares splayed out on a blanket under a tent, while some were housed inside of buildings.

Those that perused the goods being sold didn't belong solely to the Gerudo. There were Hylian and Rito women thrown into the mix as well. Medli looked more closely as she thought she recognized a few faces; however, she moved on quickly when she found that none of them were people she cared to talk to.

As much as the Rito girl wanted to explore the Town further, she knew that they were there for a reason. As a result, she and Urbosa made their way towards the building that towered over every other building.

Though the Gerudo Champion was ordinarily approachable, Medli found that something about the woman was closed off as they walked across the stone and sand covered roads. She couldn't really blame Urbosa, all things considered. The woman had confided in her that she still lacked the majority of her memories. Aside from a few memories, all she could recall were a series of jumbled images that bled together nonsensically.

Urbosa paused as they reached the bottom of the stairs that led up to the small palace. "I think I should go alone."

Medli wasn't sure what to say. On the one hand, she knew that Daruk wouldn't approve of them splitting up and even though he wouldn't find out, she didn't like the idea of doing anything to disappoint him. On the other, she was well aware that there were many things going on that she was not aware of. "Okay… I'll go… look around."

The Rito girl continued observing the woman for a few more seconds before turning awkwardly and making her way back through the town's center. Though she found many trinkets that interested her, they could only distract her for so long. Eventually, her thoughts turned back to Link, Revali, Mipha, and now Urbosa as well.

As was typical when she was lost in thought, her feet took advantage of her occupied mind and began to guide her according to their own whims.

It worried her that Urbosa was being as distant as she was. As far as she could tell, the Gerudo Champion was what kept everyone together. While Daruk managed to function as their leader by constantly reminding them of their goals and trying to keep them on track, she was busy being the glue that bound them together.

Medli knew that Urbosa didn't listen to much of what she said, but when it was something important, then she listened. It was interesting how often the Gerudo Champion heard far more than what was said. Even with Master Revali who, as she was beginning to find out, rarely said what he really meant, Urbosa still managed to understand. Without the kind of empathetic leadership Urbosa provided, there was a good chance that the rest of the group would fracture, maybe irreparably.

She had only been with them a few short weeks, but the thought still made her sad.

When she came back to her senses, she found herself down a dark alley. She looked around, trying to remember where she was and how she had gotten there. Unfortunately, nothing struck her as familiar, so she started walking, hoping to find some sort of landmark to regain her bearings.

Eventually, as she continued her search for the main road, she did find something familiar, but it wasn't a landmark. Instead, she found an aging Gerudo woman sitting next to a statue of the Goddess. Like the rest of her race, she had fiery red hair and tan skin that was just starting to wrinkle. What concerned her wasn't the woman, but rather what she was holding.

In her lap was the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield.

Medli stood frozen, not sure that she believed what she was seeing.

"If you think I look good now, you should have seen me in my youth. I was a sight to behold," the woman stated without even opening her eyes.

The Rito girl continued to stand, staring at her blankly. She couldn't decide if she should be afraid or excited that she might finally have a clue to her missing friends.

"You know, you don't exactly strike me as the quiet type," the woman murmured as she finally opened her eyes, "not with the way you were muttering as you walked down here."

"I'm just- I don't know how to- how did you-"

The woman watched, chuckling as Medli continued spewing words that couldn't form a coherent sentence. "That sounds more like what I was hearing. So, which question do you want answered?"

"…Where did you get those?" Medli finally asked as she gestured to the items.

"A friend gave them to me," she replied. She leaned forward and patted the ground next to her. "Sit."

The Rito sat down apprehensively. As she did so, the woman handed the weapons over. The Rito stared dumbfounded at the proffered items for a moment. She hadn't had to explain that they belonged to her missing friends and still, the woman handed them over. "Muava," she said.

Medli wracked her brain, trying to search for the meaning of the cryptic word, but she couldn't find any. She couldn't help but think it was a part of some saying used when exchanging gifts. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means."

"That's because it's a name, little vai," she chuckled.

"Oh… Oh!" she exclaimed, feeling flustered now. "Medli!"

"Medli? That's –"

"Did your friend happen to tell you where she got these?" Medli blurted out. It wasn't that she didn't want to hear what Muava thought of her name, she was just far too flustered by her blunder and worried about her friends to devote much thought to anything else.

"No. She just asked me to hold on to them until a friend of their owner's arrived."

"She didn't say anything about who they belonged to? Whether he and his friend were okay?"

"All She said was that the wielder wasn't able to keep them safe."

Medli felt her stomach drop at the news. She knew, both from Mipha's stories and a few displays she had seen, that Link was as stubborn as he was strong. If he couldn't keep the Master Sword safe, then he was in bad shape. That was if she could assume that anything that Muava was saying was true. "Who gave these to you?"

"She did," Muava replied as she motioned towards the statue of Hylia next to her.

Medli cocked her head as she began to question Muava's sanity.

"Normally, I follow that up by pretending to have a conversation with the statue, but I don't think you would appreciate that right now."

"So, who really gave them to you?" Medli asked. She wasn't prone to aggravation, but Muava was pressing buttons she didn't know she had.

"I wasn't joking when I said Hylia gave them to me."

Medli stared at her, not entirely sure how to respond to what she was hearing. It wasn't that she didn't believe in the Goddess. Rather, she found it difficult to believe that She would intervene on anyone's behalf.

"What?"

"I guess I just didn't expect… Her… to be involved."

"And why is that?" Muava asked.

"After everything that's happened, I just thought that maybe she didn't care."

"Everything that's happened?"

"The Great Calamity. The Blood Moons. That sort of thing," Medli clarified.

Muava leaned back, staring up at the moon thoughtfully. "Tell me, do you like being able to be you?"

"What?"

"Do you like the fact that when you wake up, you can choose what you can do that day? Where you go, what you eat, and who you speak to?"

"Oh, yes!" Medli replied excitedly. The fact that she could make her own choices was something she valued greatly.

"And how would you like it if someone else made all of your choices for you?"

"… I wouldn't," she replied after some thought. While it might make some aspects of life easier, there was a good chance that she wouldn't be able to do the things she loved.

"Neither would I," Muava replied. "It's a wonderful thing, being able to choose who I am, but that freedom has a price."

Medli gaze fell towards the ground. She had a feeling she knew what the woman was about to say.

"It means that everyone has that same freedom…"

"… Which means that bad things will happen," Medli finished.

"Indeed."

"So, if She gets involved, we can't be us, but staying out of it means that terrible things happen," Medli summarized.

"I am really glad that you aren't the Goddess," Muava chuckled.

"Huh?"

"Hylia is nothing if not creative," Muava said as though the comment were enough to explain what she meant. "She finds a multitude of ways to guide people who are willing to listen."

"But then, why the Calamity?"

"I asked her the same thing," Muava stated. "Would you like to guess what she said?"

The Rito girl remained silent. She had devoted thought as to all of the things that could have gone wrong, yet there were too many things that she didn't know. It was impossible for her to come to any consensus.

"She asked me if I had ever tried to guide a child even as they dragged their feet. If that same child demanded answers but then shouted over me as I tried to answer."

"Is that why the Princess wasn't able to access her sealing powers in time?"

"I guess so," Muava answered. "She was being vague about the whole thing, so I imagine that it wasn't just the Princess that was refusing to accept help. More than likely, there were a number of people who were being impatient or didn't like the solutions she offered."

Medli looked down at the sword and shield she held. While she had received some answers, they led to more questions, none of which she had time to look into. Not only that, but the conversation had only distracted her from her worries for a short time.

"If it helps at all, I believe your friends will be all right," Muava said as she got to her feet.

"You do?"

"I do," she replied simply. "Now stand up and let me help you with those."

Medli obliged, trying not to squawk as the Gerudo secured the sword and shield to her back. The belts were tightened far too much in her opinion, but she had a feeling that was done intentionally.

"Thank you," she murmured as Muava finished.

"You're welcome. Be well, little vai."

"Umm…" Medli began uncomfortably as Muava sat back down. "How do I get back to the main road?"

Muava's entire body shook as she laughed.

* * *

_Urbosa eyed the Hylian Princess as they reentered Gerudo Town. Zelda had fallen into a familiar, self-pitying silence after the Gerudo Chieftain had mentioned her mother. Immediately before that, the two women had been attacked by the Yiga but even the memory of that attack was not enough to drag Zelda out of her mournful reverie._

_Suddenly, Zelda stopped as her face fell towards the ground. "I can't help but wonder if –"_

" _That's enough," Urbosa said, taking on her infamous lecturing tone as she turned the Hylian towards herself and set both hands on her shoulders. The Gerudo had heard these lamentations so many times that she knew them by heart. Zelda couldn't help but wonder if her mother could have helped her unlock her powers, couldn't help but wonder if she would have understood all of the things her father didn't, and a plethora of other silent "what ifs" that plagued her thoughts. Worst of all, she couldn't help but wonder how disappointed her mother was as she gazed on from the next life. "There is something that you should know about your mother."_

" _She loved me?" Zelda asked bitterly._

" _You say that like it's a bad thing," Urbosa replied as a small l frown played across her face._

"…"

" _I was standing next to your mother, holding her hand as you came into this world."_

_Zelda nodded as she heard this as it was something she had heard many times before._

" _You should have seen her face when she first saw you," Urbosa murmured wistfully. Thinking back to that time made her as sad as it did happy. It was the most profound memory she had of the late Queen of Hyrule, perfectly encapsulating who she was; however, it was also a painful reminder to Urbosa of a reality that could never quite be hers. "I never saw her face light up quite like that."_

" _Not even on her wedding day," Zelda finished quietly. She had heard that part as well._

" _Indeed, but do you know what her first words when she saw you were?"_

" _No."_

" _She called you her little bird. Do you know why?"_

_Zelda looked up at her, an unasked question in her eyes as she shook her head slowly._

" _She hoped that no matter what challenges you faced, you would always be able to soar free, like a bird."_

_The Princess' face fell again as tears began gathering in her eyes. While Urbosa had told her many things about her mother, it was the first time that she had told the girl about her nickname. Urbosa had been conflicted when she took the name and made it her own. It had felt like she was encroaching on her closest friend's territory, but that had quickly ended when she had seen just how badly Zelda needed some sort of mother figure._

" _There's one more thing you should know," she continued as she lifted Zelda's face so that they were staring eye to eye. "She is more proud of you than you will ever know."_

Urbosa shook her head, dispelling the memory as she stared up the steps. She could see the guards above her staring at her quizzically, hands on their weapons as they watched for any sign of malicious intent. She removed her hood and began walking up the stairs before they had any more reason to suspect her.

They continued eyeing her as she approached, but they made no move to stop her as she stepped past them and into the building.

Though she hadn't known what to expect when she presented herself before the chief, she hadn't been expecting a child. Yet, seated before her was a girl who couldn't have been any older than twelve or thirteen. Apparently, the young Chief wasn't expecting to see her either. She sat frozen in a reclined position, holding up her head with a single hand as she stared at the Gerudo Champion with wide eyes.

"State your name and your business," the guard beside her commanded, punctuating her statement by setting her Claymore on the ground. She was tall and toned, even by Gerudo standards. Urbosa would almost be jealous of her intimidating figure except that it was unlikely that the guard was able to summon lightning.

"I am Urbosa, and I come seeking the aid of our chieftain," she replied boldly. To her amusement, the girl's expression was unable to widen any further. That amusement was tempered by her interest in the guard by the girl's side. The Gerudo Champion was unable to gauge the woman's thoughts on the matter.

"Even if you are –"

"Buliara! Do not speak to our chieftain so!"

"Lady Riju," Buliara responded, maintaining an impassive tone as she addressed the Chieftain, "I do not mean offense. I know as well as you that her claim is true, but she is no longer our Chief."

"But –"

"You should listen to her," Urbosa interrupted, earning her a sharp look from Buliara. "It does not matter who I used to be. You are Chief now."

"I'll ask you to remember proper courtesy, Urbosa." Despite her words, Urbosa was under the impression that Buliara secretly approved of what she had said. Her words were more a formality than anything else.

"Forgive Buliara," Riju said, still shaken by the events of the past few minutes, "she can be quite overbearing."

"I'm sorry that not all of my duties are to your liking," the guard muttered just loud enough for Urbosa to hear.

The Gerudo Champion's eyes flicked back and forth between the two, finding humor in how much the two reminded her of Zelda and herself. She chuckled quietly, finding a strange sense of relief in the act. The past day had been difficult as she juggled her duties with her concerns for her friends. It was nice to unwind, even if it was just for a moment.

"Lady Urbosa –" the Champion returned her gaze to the young Chief who had managed to regain her composure "- Lady Impa has explained your situation to us."

Urbosa frowned at the news. As far as she knew, Impa had advised them to lay as low as they could. Ironically, Revali was the only that had succeeded, with only a few members of the Rito Tribe knowing who he really was. She couldn't figure out what had changed.

Riju apparently understood this as she was quick to explain, "apparently, she received a sternly worded letter after King Dorephan reunited with his daughter." The girl cracked a small smile before dropping it to continue, "she also asked that we devote some of our warriors to help you retake Hyrule Castle."

"What?"

Buliara opened her mouth to remind the Champion to respect her Chief; however, Riju cut her off.

"Impa believes that we have the best chance of success if the all the tribes of Hyrule were to gather under one banner. I agreed and sent the best of our guard to aid in the preparations, which was a mistake," she sighed.

"What happened was not your fault," Buliara admonished. The guard then turned to address Urbosa directly, "due to our decreased number, the Yiga managed to infiltrate the Palace. After they broke in, they stole the Thunder Helm and fled like the pitiful cravens they are," she spat.

"Do you remember the Thunder Helm?" Riju asked.

Urbosa shook her head.

"I see." The young Chief bit her lip in thought as she silently debated something in her mind. "I will spare you its long history then. What is important is that without it, we stand no chance of calming Naboris. As it stands, we must devote what little forces we have to infiltrating the Yiga base and retrieving the helm."

Urbosa hooked her finger on her chin as she tilted her head in thought. "If I were to help you reclaim the Helm, would you help me with something?"

"We are ready to dedicate as many resources as we can to helping you reclaim Naboris," the Chief replied.

"Thank you, but I have a more pressing concern. Yesterday, the Hylian and the Rito Champion went missing."

"What?!" Riju asked as she leaned forward, temporarily forgetting decorum. "We must find them immediately! Buliara –"

"If I may," the guard cut in bluntly, "I am not sure that we can afford to divide our forces to look for them right now."

"She's right," Urbosa interjected before Riju could respond. "Nobody is more upset than I, but now isn't the time to make rash decisions. If we reclaim the Thunder Helm, then I can handle Naboris while your guards search for them."

The three fell silent as Riju took a few deep breaths and regained control of herself. "Where were you when they disappeared?"

"We were near the entrance of the pass into the Highlands."

Buliara and Riju exchanged a meaningful glance before the Chief returned her attention to the Champion. "After the Thunder Helm was stolen, we sent various members of the Guard to search the Highlands. The only one who didn't return was sent to investigate a section North of here." The Chief fell silent as she closed her eyes, her face twisting in concentration. "Urbosa," she said as her eyes snapped open, "you will accompany the Guard when they attack the Yiga, but your main goal is to find the two missing Champions…"

Urbosa hid a frown as Riju trailed off. She was under the impression that the Chief knew full well how to finish the command, but she was again becoming swept up in the situation. For better or worse, her legacy was larger than life, and she doubted Riju had ever had to issue a command to someone with such a reputation.

While the girl had the potential to be a great chieftain, there were still a few things she needed to work on.

"Captain Teake will be able to fill you in on all of the finer details," Buliara finished. "I will escort you to the Barracks."

Urbosa made no complaints as Riju's guard found a replacement. She had a feeling there was something the woman wanted to discuss with her.

After Buliara was certain that the Chief would be well guarded during her brief absence, she led Urbosa down a side hallway. The two trailed in silence for a minute before Buliara finally spoke. "May I ask what it is you intend to do when your fight is over?"

Urbosa could have listed the number of possibilities that had crossed her mind, but she knew there was only one thing her guide wanted to hear. "I have no intention of challenging Riju."

Buliara gave an approving nod. "Recent times have proved her own inexperience to her in the worst possible ways. She is already questioning whether or not she is suited to the task of leading us. She also holds you in the highest esteem. If you were to say the wrong thing…"

The Champion didn't need Buliara to finish the statement. If she didn't choose her words wisely, she may inadvertently cause the Chieftain to lose what little confidence she had left. No matter what happened, as a result, the consequences would be disastrous.

"Perhaps I should speak with her after we're finished cleaning up this mess," Urbosa mused quietly.

"Perhaps."

The two women continued towards the Barracks in silence as each was lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may be taking a hiatus so I can focus on school on finding my motivation again.


	39. All That's Left

She had no idea how long she had been cradling Link's lifeless body. She wasn't even sure how much time had passed since her tears had stopped. Her grief hadn't subsided in the slightest, she just didn't have any more tears left in her. She had tried healing him, but it had no effect on the corpse in her arms. All she could do was hold what remained of the broken Hylian.

Mipha wasn't really sure where she was. She had vague memories of traversing an arid, sand filled landscape, but she didn't have the first clue where it was or how she had come to be where she currently was. Occasionally, Link's body would fade away and give way to crystal blue surroundings. These brief bouts brought some relief because she could almost convince herself that everything proceeding it was in her head and not reality. If she were to look up during these episodes, she would notice a large orange face that gazed at her worriedly, but before she could process anything, it was all yanked away.

All she was left with was the corpse of her most beloved companion.

Knowing there was no use, she set her hand on him, watching dully as her hand refused to glow. With nothing else left for her to do, she set the crest of her head against his forehead and closed her eyes. Though there was next to nothing left, she wanted to cling to the little bit of the Hylian that remained.

She was startled when she lurched forward, her head crashing through the space that was supposed to be occupied by Link's. Her eyes snapped open, finding that Link was nowhere in sight. Instead, she was close to the bottom of an unfamiliar body of water. Though she was in her element, the Zora felt her chest constricting as she tried to catch her bearings. Feeling claustrophobic, she quickly swam towards the surface and hauled herself onto the edge.

She stood, trying to make sense of what she saw. Stone buildings, brightly colored tents, and strange combinations of green and gold. Feeling very small and very alone, she sat down, dipping her feet in the water. She searched and searched, trying to find some meaning in the world around her. Unfortunately, no answers made themselves known.

A massive weight on her back caused her to flinch violently. After a moment of panicked breathing, she found that it was the weight of Daruk's hand she was feeling. The Goron didn't say anything, only sparing her a sad glance before gazing upward at the night sky.

Following his gaze, Mipha finally noticed the stars above her. Under different circumstances, she might have found them beautiful, but the black background they were set against reminded her too much of the darkness in which she had been holding Link.

Her gaze shifted down before she could drift too far down that stream of thought.

Mipha felt Daruk's rocky hand move up and down across her back in a vain attempt to comfort her. Maybe he didn't know what to say. Maybe he knew that his words wouldn't really matter. Maybe he just wanted her to know that he was there.

She didn't know why he sat there so quietly with her. In fact, she wasn't even entirely sure he was really there. With how reality kept shifting around her, she couldn't be sure if what she was experiencing was real, or just fragments of her shattered psyche trying to make sense of everything. She couldn't decide which one frightened her more, not that she had dedicated too much thought to the matter at all.

She closed her eyes but quickly opened them again as the emptiness served as another reminder.

It seemed that whether this was real or not, there would be no respite. No matter where she looked, there was a reminder of the images that had been plaguing her relentlessly.

Though she made no indication that she was even aware of him, the Goron Champion remained beside her. His hand continued moving up and down her back rhythmically as the distraught Zora made every effort to stop thinking altogether.

She was left wishing it were that simple.

* * *

_Urbosa stood on the balcony outside her room, staring over the vast Gerudo Desert as she reflected on the last few months. While the only significant thing to happen was witnessing her best friend give birth to a beautiful baby girl, it had been enough to bring back some old sorrows._

" _Has anyone ever told you that you spend far too long lost in the past?" a familiar voice asked from behind her._

_Urbosa shook her head as she began to chuckle lightly. "Are you sure you should be gallivanting across the Kingdom? You did just give birth, after all."_

" _What is it you always say? 'Don't underestimate how stubborn I can be?'"_

" _I don't recall ever reading about the former monarchs of Hyrule being so cheeky."_

" _Ah, you must forgive me," the Queen replied with mock sincerity. "I was taught that the Gerudo Chiefs had a penchant for jesting even in the direst of situations."_

" _You are over correcting far too much, my dear," Urbosa replied with a shake of her head. "Even so, I suppose it is good to see you," she finished with a smile as she embraced her closest friend._

" _It is good to see you as well," the Queen chuckled as she returned the hug._

" _So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Urbosa asked._

" _I was worried about you." The smile faded as the blue eyes began searching her intently. "And I see that I was right to."_

_The Gerudo Chief suspected as much. While she could hide her inner thoughts from most of her closest friends, the Hylian Queen was always able to see through her act. "I know what you're going to say."_

" _I have already learned better than to tell you not to blame yourself."_

_Urbosa nodded. While the Queen could be incredibly wise at times, there were others when she couldn't see the reasoning behind the actions of others. Though she knew on some level that it wasn't her fault that she couldn't have a child, having someone to blame made it easier for her to_ _accept_ _. Blaming herself prevented her from taking out her frustrations on somebody who didn't deserve it. "Well, it only took three separate conversations."_

" _Have you thought about adopting?"_

_She had indeed considered the possibility but had ultimately decided against it. From what she had heard, it was difficult for adopted children to become integrated into their new family. Even infants could struggle to properly attach to their new parents. Not only could this cause friction in the parent-child relationship, it often led to tension between spouses or other family members._

_It was a responsibility that required time and patience. She had patience to spare, but time was another matter entirely. As Chief of the Gerudo, she would struggle to balance her responsibilities to her people_ _while_ _trying to help a child acclimate. If she was being truly honest with herself, she felt it was selfish of her to bring a child into her life to fill some unfulfilled desire on her part._

" _So, you have."_

" _Has anyone mentioned that it's really unnerving when you read minds?"_

" _You have made a habit of mentioning it at least once a visit," the queen replied offhandedly._

" _Apparently, that one hasn't sunk in yet."_

" _Well, perhaps in time, your situation will change."_

_Sometimes, the Gerudo found the Queen's persistence quite frustrating. It was only worsened by the fact that she was still grieving. She was well past being angry and depressed, but sometimes she felt it acutely. "And how do you figure?"_

" _I am not sure," the queen replied thoughtfully, "but we both know that I just know about these things."_

_Urbosa laughed in response. No matter how outlandish a claim, the Queen was more often right than not. Maybe there was still a bit of hope._

"Lady –"

"Stand aside, girl."

Urbosa shook her head as the memory faded away, leaving her confused and exhausted. Though she lacked much of the context for the scene that had just played out in her head, it still left her with a deep abiding sadness. One that felt extraordinarily familiar.

Setting it all aside for the moment, she finally looked at the scene playing out in front of her. Captain Teake had set herself in front of Medli, trying to shoo her off even as the Rito girl was trying to peer around the woman in front of her, frantically trying to get the Gerudo Champion's attention. If Medli's antics hadn't been enough to convince her there was at least something of mild importance, then the hilt of the Master Sword poking over her shoulder was.

"I'll take care of this," Urbosa muttered as she stepped forward and set a hand on Medli's shoulder. "Keep going. I'll catch up."

Teake grumbled something incomprehensible before giving the order to continue.

The Gerudo Champion guided the Rito off to the side. The woman was concerned by the mix of fear and hope she saw plastered on Medli's face. "What happened?"

"SoIwaswalkingaroundafteryouleft, butIwasn'tpayingattentiontowhereIwasgoingandthenIgotlost-"

Urbosa sighed, silencing the girl by setting both of her hands on Medli's shoulders. She appreciated that the Rito understood that she was in a rush, but there was no way that she was going to make any sense of the jumble of words that fell out of her mouth. "Too much, too fast." The girl took a deep breath and opened her beak again, but Urbosa cut her off, "Keep it quick. Only the important parts."

"Muava handed these to me because Link can't protect them right now."

Urbosa rubbed her temples as she debated whether or not she wanted to ask for more information. The advantage to talking to Medli was that she would give all of the pertinent information. The problem with talking to Medli was that she gave too much information.

"How did Muava get them?" She had a feeling she knew the answer, but she wanted confirmation.

"She said a friend gave them to her."

She sighed before tilting her head back, "Would it kill you to be a bit more straightforward?"

"I'm sorry!"

"Not you, dear." While 'friend' was not a particularly descriptive term, it was more than enough for Urbosa to piece together a rough idea of what had happened. "Did Muava say anything else?"

"Just that she thinks Master Link and Master Revali are still alive."

"Good." She eyed the Rito in front of her, debating whether or not she truly wanted to suggest what was going through her head. "Do you think you can make it back to the Bazaar?"

"I think so… maybe…"

"You can, and you will. Tell Daruk that I am heading with some of my sisters to infiltrate the Yiga's hideout and that I will be back soon, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good, then be careful." With the conversation ended, Urbosa sent the Rito on her way, watching her nearly run towards the gates. "You had best take care of her," she growled as she looked up briefly.

Whether she liked it or not, she had gotten the message that Hylia was trying to send. The Goddess was going to be there regardless of how she felt about it. If She was going to be there, then Urbosa figured that she may as well rely on Her.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she set out after the guards she was to accompany.

* * *

Medli stood on top of the wall surrounding Gerudo Town. She had doubts as to whether or not she could reach Kara Kara Bazaar. If it were just her, she had no doubts that she could fly most, if not all, of the way back to the Bazaar. With the Sword and shield, she wasn't so sure. If it weren't in the middle of the night, she might try walking. Unfortunately, many of the more dangerous creatures were active at night.

Flying was probably her safest option.

"Uh… I don't know if you can hear me or not… or why you would even care if you could, but if you can and you do, I could use some help." Medli felt herself blushing slightly as she heard the guards nearby chuckling about the fact that she was talking to herself. She felt her shoulders rise up defensively, but she opted to not move her perch. It was the closest she could get to the Bazaar. "Please…" she added, hoping to not be rude. She wasn't a hundred percent sure what proper etiquette dictated when imploring the Goddess' help, but she figured the extra bit couldn't hurt.

She felt a warm breeze brush past her, as if in response to her request.

Medli flapped her wings, pushing herself unsteadily up into the air. Though it had been weeks since her last major flight, she had still taken some time to practice the method that Revali had shown her. Unfortunately, it hadn't helped her very much. She had been embarrassed by her lack of progress until Revali had reminded her that she had years of bad habits to unlearn. Not only that, but some of her muscles were underdeveloped, meaning it would take months of intensive work before she could fly further than a few miles at a time.

Hopefully, what she could do would be enough to get her to the Bazaar.

Once she climbed up to a suitable height, she stopped and spread her wings wide, catching the gentle breeze with her wings.

Medli quickly became distracted from the dull pain in her shoulders as she glided over the desert. She hadn't been able to appreciate the sight of the land she was in during the heat of the day. Now though, she could see many of the details she had missed the first time around. The lack of tall, reaching plants, like trees, made it even easier for her to see the land below her. While the vast majority of the ground was dusted with sand, there were small patches of green, making the desert look like an odd, mismatched quilt. With her superior eyesight, she could make out little critters scampering across the sandy dunes.

It was all beautiful in its own alien way.

In the midst of daydreaming about the research she would like to do, she remembered what she had set out to do. She berated herself for becoming distracted as she reoriented herself towards the Bazaar. The Rito winced as her wings and shoulders groaned at her, complaining about holding both her and the extra weight she carried. She carried on, pushing through her extreme discomfort.

Her wings grew numb as she approached the Bazaar, but she felt a small rush of energy as she caught sight of Daruk. If she hadn't been busy giving everything she had to reaching him, she might have called out to him. As it was, she barely had the energy to remain airborne. She wouldn't even be able to land properly.

She prepared herself for a rough rendezvous with the ground; however, she was preparing for the wrong thing. She felt what little air was left in her body exit as she crashed into a large, stone hand. Luckily for her, Daruk managed to catch her before she collapsed on the ground. The stars and black spots that danced across her vision made her want to vomit. A desire that was only compounded as the Goron Champion set her gingerly on the ground.

"You okay?"

"I'm… I'm alright," she gasped dizzily as she underwent one of the most unpleasant experiences of her life. She was caught in the strangest cycles of trying to breathe while simultaneously trying to keep the contents of her stomach where they were. While they sounded like inherently different tasks, every intake of breath felt as though it was going to bring something unpleasant back up with it.

"Where did you get that?" Daruk asked quickly.

"Get what?" she asked, not really processing anything that was being said to her.

"The sword."

"What sword?... The Sword!" she squawked as everything clicked back into place. She tried to get to her feet, her head was still spinning terribly. "I- "

She closed her mouth quickly as Daruk picked her up gently. "I'll be back in a bit Mipha. Just need to get her to the inn and make sure she's okay."

"Okay…" came the soft reply.

"Sorry," Daruk murmured as he carried her towards the inn. "She's been in and out of it for the last few hours. I really don't think seeing the Sword will do her any good right now."

"Sorry."

"For what?"

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Urbosa sent me back here because she wanted you to know that she's going to infiltrate the Yiga's base?"

"She's what?!" Medli flinched at the sudden noise. It hadn't done any favors for her head. "Sorry," he muttered as he realized that he had just added to her discomfort.

"Don't worry. She went with a group of Gerudo warriors."

"That's better than nothin,'" he sighed as he got her inside the inn. Getting Medli a bed required quite a bit of haggling as Daruk didn't carry money on him. It wasn't until Medli convinced Daruk to set her down so she could try to fish a red rupee out with her numb fingers, a task that she barely succeeded in accomplishing.

Unfortunately, her troubles weren't quite over once she reached her bed. She still needed to loosen the buckles so she could finally set the weapons down. Daruk's fingers were too large, meaning that the exhausted Rito had to fumble with the buckles for several minutes before they mercifully loosened, letting Daruk remove the weapons from her back. She sighed in relief before flopping down on the bed.

"So," Daruk started as he set the Sword and shield down next to the bed and sat down next to her, "what happened?"

"So, I was- " she was interrupted by a yawn, forcing her to rub tears from her eyes "- I was walking around beca …" She had been forced to end the sentence there as another yawn escaped her. She tried a third time, "I was –"

"You were walking around?" Daruk asked patiently.

"Yeah," she sighed as her eyelids grew ridiculously heavy. She was becoming increasingly certain that she was laying in perhaps the most comfortable bed in all of Hyrule, which was making the struggle to maintain a coherent thought all the more difficult. "I met a strange lady… who said that a friend… something about…" that was the last thing she remembered before blacking out.

* * *

"Hmm." Barta hummed as another group of Yiga rushed by. "I wonder what has them all worked up."

Revali wasn't paying much attention to the Gerudo's verbal stream of thought. He was preoccupied with Link's condition, which had been steadily worsening over the last few hours. The healing and stamina potions had bought them some time, but if he didn't get the Hylian Champion out of there quickly and back to Mipha, there was a good chance he wouldn't survive the night.

"How is he?"

"Not good."

Barta was silent as another group of Yiga dashed past them. "This will be our best opportunity."

"What?!" he hissed. He was beginning to think that she was absolutely insane.

"When they first brought him in, I thought he might have a few days to a week. Now, I don't know if he'll last till morning."

He hated to agree with her, but he was struggling to remain optimistic at this point.

"Here's the thing: with the bombs, we could have technically left at any time, but we would have had to fight our way out, likely from both sides. That's why I wanted to wait for another shipment of bananas, but this distraction will work just as well. We can slip out and get away in this mess, yeah?"

When he had first met Barta, he had been convinced that she was a few arrows short of a full quiver. Now he saw that he had been giving her too little credit. She was quite adaptable and ready to turn a situation in her favor. That was probably why she had made it into the Guards in the first place.

"You ready to go?"

"I don't see how this can go any worse."

"Good. Grab two shields while I get him ready."

Revali did as he was told and, for once, he didn't gripe about it.

"All right. We'll fasten him to your back and –"

"No," Revali interrupted sharply. "Once the door is open, I'll go out and clear a path –"

"Cute," Barta said, cutting him off, "but there's something you're forgetting. He's running out of time and there is only one of us that can get him to help in time. Once we get outside, you hightail it out of here and get him to Gerudo Town. They typically don't allow voe in the city, but Lady Riju can be amenable when the situation calls for it. Take him and- "

"No. I know someone better."

She gave him a hard look for a moment before she relented. "I sure hope you're right."

"I usually am."

"And so humble too," she replied dryly as she lifted Link on to his back and tied the Hylian down. Seeing how limp the Hylian was gave him even more cause for concern.

Revali, fully aware of how much time they had just wasted, placed a square bomb at the base of the gate to their cell. He took his place next to Barta and held up his shield. "After I get him to my friend, I'm coming back for you."

"When we get out of this, you're really going to have to tell me who the lucky lady is?"

"What?!"

"I'll explain some other time. Now!"

By some blessing of the Goddess herself, another group of Yiga ran by their cell right as Revali detonated the bomb. Not only did it blow their cell open, but it knocked Yiga flying and rendered most of them unconscious. The Gerudo was dashing through the door before the dust settled, having already disabled the few Yiga left who could have caused them trouble as Revali made sure Link was safely secured to his back.

He and Barta exchanged a glance before the Gerudo started leading the way towards the exit. As desperate as they were to reach the exit, they controlled their pace, listening for any threats that weren't in their line of sight. On the off chance they did hear someone coming, they hid in the many contours that the stone wall provided. Thankfully, the Clan members that passed them were running around so frantically that very few noticed them. The ones that did were so taken aback that they were unable to defend themselves as Barta's shield smashed into them.

As they drew close to the entrance, they heard a cacophony of shouts and clanging metal, which meant that the Yiga were under attack. "I see my sisters are finally here," Barta muttered.

Before Revali could reply, the Gerudo yanked him behind a corner as someone came sprinting towards them. She tensed up, ready to strike if an enemy showed their face. A cloaked figure whirled around the corner, dodging the attack and flicking her blade, stopping it just before it could cut through her throat.

"You must be Barta," the figure stated as she lowered her weapon.

In the entire time he had known the Gerudo Champion, Revali had never once been gladder to hear her voice than in that moment.

"It's about time you got here," he said hotly as he stepped around his fellow escapee.

"Give me a break, Feathers. I had to cross the blasted desert twice today." He could just see her lips draw tight as she caught sight of Link.

"Where's Mipha?"

"Kara Kara Bazaar," the Gerudo Champion replied, "as soon as we get out –"

A sharp crack followed by deep rumble cut her off and sent the three of them stumbling as the earth shook. Revali felt his stomach drop at the eery familiarity of the noise. "Please tell me that was you."

"No," Urbosa replied as another crack resounded through the air. Revali looked around sharply as he heard stone shattering around them. "Get moving! And you," she continued as she caught Barta's arm, "tell our sisters to retreat. I'll retrieve the Helm."

"We don't –"

"That's an order!" the Gerudo Champion barked before she raised her weapon again. She moved past them as Clan members appeared behind them. "Go! I'll handle this."

Revali felt himself being pulled along as he watched his fellow Champion rush the Yiga. He turned around, knowing that any further attempts to argue would only waste time. He and Barta rushed onwards, being spurred on as the sounds of combat grew louder. Unfortunately, so did the thunder and quakes.

"If I didn't know better, I would think that Urbosa herself had come to rescue us," the Gerudo muttered, sounding apprehensive.

"What?" he asked, temporarily flabbergasted by the statement. They had quite literally been in the Gerudo Champion's presence a few moments prior.

"My mother used to tell me stories about her. She would talk about how even lightning itself would heed Urbosa's call. I know it sounds childish, but all of that thunder made me think of those stories."

Revali shook his head, taking a moment to remember that many in Hyrule were still under the impression that the Champions were dead. He supposed that, given that the only experience that the Gerudo had of their Champion were through legends, it was understandable that the sounds of thunder on a battlefield would bring a sense of awe. Medli had told him some of the tales that had been passed on about him, and even he had been struck with disbelief when it came to his own supposed abilities.

Even the irony of the statement wasn't enough to calm his worry though. Urbosa, for all of her prowess, couldn't even come close to matching the same power he heard in a single clap of thunder, let alone doing it time and time again. He had, however, had the misfortune to meet a being who possessed the raw power to create those kinds of blasts.

Revali's fears were confirmed as they finally made it outside. Farosh was circling above the chaos that was ensuing in the canyon, sending lightning bolts flying in several directions. Even though the Rito Champion couldn't see a trace of purple anywhere on the dragon's body, he was still suspicious, but he didn't have time.

"Be careful!" Barta shouted over the din as Revali crouched down, having already decided that he was going to give Farosh as wide a berth as possible. "I can't tell whose side he's on!"

"Which way to the Bazaar?!"

"That way!" she replied as she pointed towards the South.

"You might wanna stand back!"

She gave him a questioning look but didn't waste time by asking for an explanation. Once she had moved back sufficiently, Revali gave a powerful flap, generating the largest updraft he could. He rocketed over the two groups and left them behind completely. A moment later, he heard a deafening blast. Afraid that Farosh was after them, looked over his shoulder to find one of the strangest sights he had ever witnessed. The dragon had ended his circling and rushed down towards the ground, forcing his way into the cave that Revali and Barta had just exited. Even from his distance, he could see massive fissures spreading throughout the stone.

It looked like Farosh was planning on bringing the entire mountain down.

Revali growled as he turned back towards the South. He hated the idea of leaving Urbosa to contend with not only the Yiga but a clearly insane dragon as well. If he hadn't been responsible for the survival of one of the Champions, he wouldn't have left at all. Instead, he would have to hope that Urbosa remained true to her typical stubbornness. She would need every ounce of it to make it out of the caves alive.

The Rito Champion flew on, hating many of the choices he had been forced to make in the last hour.

* * *

Daruk scratched at his beard as he sat beside Mipha. He had gotten very little information from Medli before she had passed out, but he was still impressed. It was the worst-kept secret among their group that she was a terrible flyer, a fact which was only exemplified by the presence of one of the best fliers in Rito history. The fact that she had managed to fly as far as she had with extra weight was an impressive feat. It took a strong will to push past someone's physical limitations.

He had been a bit unsure about her, but that had been more than enough to prove herself to him. She was just as willing to put everything on the line as the rest of them. He was certain she would be just fine if a little sore in the morning.

If only he could have that same confidence in all of his companions.

He looked down by his side, watching as Mipha stared off into nothingness. He had gotten used to her spacing out from time to time, but this was something different entirely.

Had anyone asked, he would readily admit that he simply didn't understand much of what went on in his companions' heads. That was where many of Urbosa's talents lay, however, he didn't need her understanding to see that something was very wrong with Mipha. He had noticed that something about her had changed when they finally caught up with the younger three Champions back in the Rito Village, but he had shrugged it off at the time. It wasn't that it wasn't important, but rather, he figured that it was a personal matter that she would sort out on her own. Instead, her condition had worsened progressively, coming to a head when Link and Revali had disappeared.

He had tried talking to her, but he was beginning to think that Mipha was world's away. More often than not, she didn't seem to hear him. When she did hear him, it was like she couldn't quite understand what it was he was saying to her.

He wished the Gerudo Champion was there with him. She would have known what to do. As it was, he could support her the only way he knew how, by sitting with her through it.

"- pha!"

Daruk perked up, looking around for the source of the sound he'd just heard.

"Mipha!"

Recognition hit Daruk like a boulder as Revali's voice cut through the night. He turned around and gaped as the Rito Champion soared up to him. Even with Daruk's comparatively poor eyesight, he could see that Revali was fairly banged up, but that was nothing compared to Link.

"What happened?"

"Mipha," Revali repeated as he touched down, much more unsteadily than normal.

Daruk wasted no more time on questions as he helped remove Link from Revali's back. When the Hylian was safely on the ground, Daruk turned to Mipha.

"Oi! Little Sister!" he bellowed as Revali struggled to catch his breath next to him. He was worried, but that wasn't the reason for his volume. As he expected would happen, Mipha flinched violently, her head whipping around as she looked for whoever had spoken. "Over here!"

The Zora looked at him uncomprehendingly, so he gestured to the Hylian laying at his feet.

As her eyes fell on Link, they widened. She stared, her face twisted in horror as she slowly got to her feet and stumbled over. Daruk watched, unable to understand the scene that was playing out before him. As far back as he could remember, Mipha had always rushed whenever anybody needed healing, especially when it was Link. Now, it was like everything flipped on her head, like she didn't want to be at his side.

When she reached him she knelt next to him and wrapped her arms around him, cradling his torso as silent tears were streaming down her face.

"What're ya doin?!' You gotta heal him!"

"I can't," she whispered, her tiny voice cracking as she choked it out. "No matter how hard I try, it never works. He always dies in the end…"

"Wha –"

"I get it," Revali interrupted quietly, startling Daruk. The Rito Champion stared at Mipha as he knelt on the other side of Link. "I know what it's like to…" he trailed off, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before continuing, "I know what it's like to watch terrible things happen to people you care about. I know what it's like to try again and again and still fail."

Mipha looked up slowly, amber eyes locking onto emerald ones.

"That doesn't mean you can give up though," the Rito continued quietly. "Sometimes, you have to keep trying because that's all you have left. Sometimes, the hope that maybe one day you'll succeed is the only thing carrying you forward."

"What if I can't do it?" she asked, voice almost trembling.

"Then you try again," the Rito replied with the same uncharacteristic calm.

Daruk had seen many expressions on the Rito's face, but this was the first time that he had seen sadness on Revali's face. It wasn't the kind of sad like he had lost a red rupee, or the sadness a child felt when their parents wouldn't buy them a candy they'd had their eye on. It was the kind of sadness that battered a person down, one that continued to chip away at him continually over a very long time. Though he was quite young compared to Daruk, the Goron felt like he was looking into eyes that were older and more worn than he was.

Mipha stared at the Rito Champion for a few seconds before she turned back to Link. She gingerly set a hand on him. She stared intently at Link, but nothing happened. "I can't…" she whispered as she drew her hand back.

"Yes, you can," Revali replied as he caught her hand and moved it back to where it had been "Try again."

Mipha exchanged one last glance with the Rito Champion before turning her eyes back to Link. Daruk took a deep breath and held it as a look of intense concentration crossed her face. After a few seconds, the blue glimmer that accompanied her healing power shone dully. If flickered for a moment but came back even more brightly than before. It wasn't as bright as the Goron Champion remembered, but it appeared to be doing its job.

Revali remained where he was, watching Mipha work silently. After a few minutes, he must have decided that he was no longer needed and sighed as took to his feet. Without sparing anyone a second glance, he walked towards the edge of the Bazaar and stood, looking out over the vast expanse of sand before him.

Daruk eyed Mipha, making sure that she didn't need him anymore. His worries were waylaid when he saw that she hadn't even noticed Revali's departure. The only thing that existed to her was the injured Link in her arms.

The Goron was exhausted, but his job wasn't done yet.

Rolling his shoulders, he walked across the sand, joining Revali at the edge of the Bazaar.

He couldn't tell what was going in the Rito's mind, and he didn't ask. If the Rito Champion wanted to share, he would. If he didn't, then he wouldn't.

"I left Urbosa behind," Revali said quietly.

Daruk frowned. In all of the excitement, he had completely forgotten about the Gerudo Champion. "She can take care of herself."

"Farosh was attacking the Yiga's hideout."

"She's got her lightnin' and her brains. Besides, ya had ta get Link back ta Mipha," Daruk replied evenly. He was worried, but there was no way that any of them could make it to her aid in time. He would just have to have faith in his friend. She was clever and strong and if the Calamity couldn't take her down, then neither could the Yiga or a Dragon. He chose to focus on something that he considered to be equally important. "Ya did good back there," he said as he set a hand on the Rito's back.

Maybe it was the darkness playing tricks on his eyes, but he thought he had seen the slightest smile on the Rito's face.

A companionable silence fell between them as they kept their vigil over the sleeping Desert.

* * *

Urbosa charged through the collapsing tunnels of the Yiga Clan's hideout. Even in her rush, she was currently cursing her luck. Not only had she been unable to see two of her companions to safety, but now she was in a mad dash through the lair of a group of banana obsessed assassins as a dragon was trying to worm its way through the mountain behind her. It occurred to her that, had she any children of her own, she wouldn't have told them a story anywhere near as ridiculous as the one she found herself in.

The Yiga were in a blind panic now. If any of them noticed the cloaked woman sprinting through caverns, they didn't care. They were all running around, shouting nonsense as they tried to escape the enraged shrieks behind her.

She couldn't blame them. She was grappling with her own sense of panic as she barreled through the collapsing tunnels. When she had told Revali and Barta that she was going to reclaim her people's treasure, it hadn't occurred to her that Farosh was planning to completely level the hideout. By the time she had figured it out, it was too late to go back the way she had come.

So, she ran deeper into the tunnels.

She came to regret that decision as came to a circular chamber that looked to be the end of the hideout. She looked around quickly for any exit, but there was none that she could see. What she did find, however, was what she had come in search of.

The room apparently functioned as the Clan's treasure room. There were various relics stacked haphazardly around the room, only really being protected by a few, very worn rugs. Ancient weapons, chests filled with rupees and precious stones that glittered in the dim lighting, and other objects were spread across the room's circumference.

None of that mattered to her as she spotted the Thunder Helm on a dais in the center of the cavern. While the object enjoyed an almost sacred standing, especially among the Gerudo Chieftains, Urbosa had no problem whisking it off its stand unceremoniously. She looked around again, tucking her quarry under her arm as she tried to find some sort of shelter.

The stone that made up the floor and walls cracked dangerously as Farosh continued worming his way through the caverns behind her. She stumbled as the floor beneath her jumped, causing her knees to buckle and the stone around her to fracture.

She also heard a faint scraping that sounded of metal dragging across stone.

Sending a quick glance around, she noticed that a section of the wall was jutting out ever so slightly. She closed the gap between herself and it then proceeded to peer at it closely. What she had originally taken for a wall was actually a giant plate that had hidden another entrance to the hideout, or at least, she assumed it was a possible entrance. The fact that she could just make out the light from the moon certainly made her more confident.

Deciding there was no time to search for some sort of mechanism, she placed her shoulder against the plate and heaved with all of her strength. The plate began to swivel outwards with an agonizing slowness as the chamber began to collapse around her. Again, the floor leaped beneath her, pushing the door open of its own accord and throwing her out into the chill of the night air as the chamber caved in behind her.

The Gerudo Champion tucked her head under her shoulder and rolled, coming safely to her feet and sprinting to get clear. Just because she was outside didn't mean that she was safe from the chaos behind her.

She finally stopped, setting her free hand on her knee as she hunched over, trying to catch her breath. She looked around the tiny canyon she found herself in. In the center was a massive hole. Aside from that, the only other landmark of note was a path that looked to lead up to the top of the Highlands.

"There had better be a good reason for all this racket!"

Urbosa straightened in less than a second as a tall, overweight Yiga appeared before her.

"Wait… who're you?" he slurred as he drew two knives. "I was enjoying a nice nap when all this blasted noise woke me up. And now I see that someone has made it to my private space. You must be cursing your luck now that you find yourself facing Master Kohga, the leader of the infamous Yiga Clan."

The Gerudo Champion stared at the mess of a man before her. His mask and clothes appeared to have just been thrown on as an afterthought, and he wavered precariously as he tried to keep his balance.

Not for the first time, she asked herself how the Clan had managed to survive. Not only were their combat tactics average, but now she could see that their leader was a bumbling idiot. It was almost insulting as the Yiga of her day had been under the guidance of a formidable leader. One who was almost as feared as Ganon himself.

Now she understood why Riju and Buliara hadn't considered them a threat.

"I'll just take care of you and get back to my rest."

"I think you get a bit too much of it," Urbosa growled as she readied her fingers. She was in no mood for a drawn-out fight. She would use her power than use what remained of her stamina to get as far away as she could.

Kohga sent one his daggers racing towards her as her finger drew across her thumb. The cave behind her exploded outwards, throwing both her and Kohga off their feet and rendering both of their attacks useless. An earsplitting roar filled the canyon as Farosh surged out of the caves and into the canyon.

Urbosa staggered to her feet as Kohga leaped to his feet with surprising agility. "What…" the head of the Clan stared up at Farosh, who had placed himself behind Urbosa so that his head towered over her. His head then moved back to the Gerudo Champion, then trailed back up to Farosh. "I see. It looks like this situation calls for my super-secret ultimate move!" Kohga drew his hands up by his face before flinging them out toward his two opponents, while also throwing his hips back as though he were pushing some massive, invisible object.

Though she had known Master Kohga for less than five minutes, she could say she was genuinely surprised to say that he did indeed have an ultimate technique. What didn't surprise her was that it summoned a giant, spiked ball, and what surprised her even less was the fact that it fell as soon as it appeared, landing at Kohga's feet with a loud thud. And, to complete the irony of the moment, it remained immobile.

"Hold on!" Kohga shouted around the massive weapon he had summoned. "In just a minute, you will feel the unending agony that –"

Farosh growled impatiently as he leaned forward and tapped the ball with his massive snout, sending it rolling back to Kohga.

"- is my ultima – wait? Wait!"

Urbosa watched, not entirely sure she wasn't in some kind of fever dream as Master Kohga backpedaled away from his own weapon, screaming curses at them as he backed off the edge of the hole she had noticed earlier. The spiked weapon followed after, punctuating the man's screams with a loud crash.

The Gerudo Champion stared at the place where Kohga had disappeared, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened.

Even after several minutes, she still struggled to comprehend it.

Shaking her head, she turned to Farosh, who was staring at her. "They were a threat?" she asked, her voice tinted by disbelief.

The Dragon snorted as he rolled his eyes.

She shook her head, sill unable to process the last few minutes. She looked up, finding Farosh chuckling above her. "What? Now you feel like laughing?"

The Dragon nodded.

"You just tried to bring a mountain down on me," she said, letting only some of her accusatory tone be feigned. "How do you intend to make it up to me?"

Farosh clocked an eyebrow before lowering his head so that it was laying on the ground.

"You read my mind," she murmured coyly as she climbed up the side of his head. She wanted to get back to her fellow Champions as soon as possible, both to let them know she had survived and to make sure that Link had pulled through. His earlier antics aside, Farosh was her best bet to return quickly.

Once she was secure, the Dragon lifted off the ground, flying gracefully out of the canyon before escorting the Gerudo Champion across the Desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back... it's- it's me guys. My hiatus took longer than I thought, but I do have some things to show for it. While I was away, I rewrote the first three chapters, the fight with Waterblight, and got caught in the grips of a fever dream (yes, I am referring to OWaP). I wanted to rewrite four as well, but this chapter was calling my name.


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